Wide Awake
by oldnumberseven
Summary: A very detailed account of the Marauders' seventh and final year at Hogwarts - illegal activities, late nights and the women who shaped them into men. Sirius/OC, Remus/OC, James/Lily and Peter/OC.
1. I Shot the Sheriff

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter or the Marauders. I do own the plot and the OCs.

I'm going to warn you now, this story is very detailed. I do recognize that my paragraphs can be pretty long so at some point, I'm going to go back through all the chapters and edit the spacing.

I am also not an English major so keep that in mind when you find grammar mistakes ;)

* * *

"_I shot the sheriff but I didn't shoot no deputy, oh no!_" – Bob Marley, 1973

* * *

For the first time in his life, James Potter was speechless.

He subconsciously gulped and tugged at the collar of his white button down shirt as the rest of the Prefects stared at him with confused looks and waited for him to say something.

"Well," he finally began and then laughed anxiously, "welcome to the first prefects meeting of the year! I'm James Potter and I'm Head Boy."

His opening remarks were met with silence as the train clacked along the tracks beneath it. He took in a sharp breath and glanced out the window, wishing that he could jump into the lake that the Hogwarts Express was now passing. After exhaling slowly, he surveyed the crowd in front of him and hoped to find inspiration. The younger prefects looked attentive with eager smiles on their faces. However, most of the older students were not impressed. The Slytherins rolled their eyes and continued to look extremely bored, the Ravenclaws glared at him stonily for taking a position that had been awarded to their house for the past five years, the Hufflepuffs had blank stares and James didn't even dare look over at Lily Evans who was practically blowing steam out of her ears next to him.

He clapped his hands, trying to be enthusiastic.

"Right, and this is Evans – I mean, L-Lily Evans. She's Head Girl this year … as you probably already know." He laughed nervously as nobody moved or said anything.

"_Thank_ you James," Lily seethed as she rose from her seat. "Now since you've never actually _been_ to one of these meetings before, may I take over?"

James exhaled softly before adding a dejected, "Yeah sure." As Lily officially started the meeting by passing around the sign in scroll, he lowered himself into the chair behind him and clasped his hands in his lap, hanging his head slightly. He tried desperately to listen to the sweet, singsong voice of the girl he had been chasing for the past five years as she explained the logistics of the term but silently, he crumbled next to her.

The seventh year Gryffindor was used to failure – as shown by the hundreds of rejections by his Gryffindor counterpart – but in this moment, James felt extremely frustrated at himself. He was Boy Wonder. Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. An excellent dueler. He could accomplish most things within minutes of learning them and was always surrounded by his loyal friends, the Marauders, who made him feel at complete ease. He was supposed to be a great Head Boy without even trying, not one that forgot what to say and stuttered.

Without realizing it, he ran a hand through his messy hair just as Lily turned around and glared at him while handing out the timetables for nightly patrols to one of the prefects in the front row. Her green eyes flashed at him as she pushed her long, wavy red hair behind her ear.

"Potter, are you even listening to me? Your first shift is tonight after each of the seventh year prefects have led their respective classmates to their houses. You'll be with Marianne," she informed him. "I'll take the Gryffindors to the tower because the thought of leaving you in charge of children is just horrifying."

The rest of the room snickered. Instead of grinning madly and somehow finding a way to ask her out, he stared back at Lily with a forlorn look in his face, accepting her cruel words without a response. Even though it felt like she was twisting a knife into his gut, James knew she was right. Dumbledore really _was_ off his rocker if he expected James to discipline younger students for breaking the rules. He just wasn't cut out to be in a position of responsibility. He thought he could just finesse the job and somehow be amazing at it but clearly, it was the one thing in life that he was a failure at. He gulped and blinked several times as the rest of the prefects began to pack up their things.

However, for a brief second he saw the steely resolve of Lily Evans break. Her eyes softened while her rosy little lips formed a small "O" in surprise. Yet, a split second later, her cheeks matched her flaming red hair and she slammed down the last timetable on the desk in front of them.

"You better not lose this," she growled as she swung her backpack onto her shoulders and swept past him to probably find the rest of the Gryffindor girls in their year. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and looked up to see his partner for the night standing before him. She was a seventh year Ravenclaw and very petite. She wore her hair in a sophisticated dark brown bob that barely fell to the tops of her shoulders, framing her heart shaped face. She took off her black cat eye reading glasses, inserted them back into their case and then held out her hand.

"Marianne Minot, right?" James asked, returning her handshake and noting that her eyes were the exact same shade of green as Lily's. "You study with Moon – I mean Remus."

"It's actually pronounced without the t," she said smiling back. "Mi-_know_. Don't worry, you're not the only one who butchers it, most British people do." She waved her hand as her smile turned into a large grin. "Sometimes the French even get it wrong but I think that's just because I don't understand the Marseille accent. And yes, Remus and I studied extensively for our OWLs together and have ever since. He's an excellent academic companion."

"Oh believe me, I know. I basically copy – I mean, are you fully French or what?" James questioned as he tried to regain from his two slips. To calm himself, he hastily began to file the timetable and other assorted blank pieces of paper into a folder he had casually bought in Diagon Alley, thinking it would help him stay organized. He ignored the loud crinkling sounds as he shut it and looked back up at Marianne.

"Half but it's complicated," she responded with a warm smile. "My father's family is from England but way back when, one of the Carter women married a French man. It got my dad obsessed with France, which is how he met my French mother." She quickly glanced down at her expensive looking gold watch and frowned slightly as she placed her large black tote on her shoulder. "I have to go meet someone but don't worry, we will get the chance to talk during our patrol. I'm a really good person to be stuck with. I've taught other prefects French to pass the time!"

"Great," James laughed dejectedly as he ran his hand through his hair again, staring down at his red folder that somehow seemed to be taunting him. "Looking forward to it." He watched her move towards the exit behind him and sighed as he rose from his chair. All he wanted was one more year of fun with his best friends but after his poor performance during the meeting, he knew it was going to probably be the longest, most frustrating year of his life.

"Oh and James," Marianne said as she peeked her head around the doorway, "stop being so hard on yourself. You're going to be a great Head Boy, I know it. See you after the feast!" She smiled at him compassionately and James felt better.

Slightly.

* * *

Without his best friend James, Sirius felt extremely bored and after twiddling his thumbs for seven straight minutes, he quickly announced to the rest of the compartment that he needed to walk around the train. His remark earned an eye roll from Remus and a jealous whine from Peter. Both of them were aware of his intentions to rekindle his affair with Rose Smythe, a seventh year busty brunette in Ravenclaw who he had briefly seen at the end of the last term. Nevertheless, after walking into the next train car, he realized had forgotten his wand and dungbombs in his school bag. Sirius cursed silently to himself. He had to find Rose quickly. Even though it was the best way to cure his separation anxiety, pranking Serverus Snape simply wasn't an option anymore.

As he glanced in several compartments around him and failed to find the object of his desire, he opened the sliding glass door and made his way towards the next car. However, upon entering, he stopped in the middle of the hall and sniffed the air. It smelled like cigarette smoke, dried gillyweed and patchouli.

"Gio," Sirius laughed to himself and looked to his left. The smoke consumed the compartment and he could barely see the outline of the people moving within it. He reached out and opened the door, letting the heavy grey tendrils stretch into the hallway.

"Sirius, you bastard! Come inside before you let it all out!" his friend Giovanni bellowed as he reached out and pulled Sirius into the smoky compartment. He coughed a couple times and right away, Gio placed a cigarette in his hand. Sirius nodded and took a drag, realizing immediately that it was not filled with tobacco.

"Gio, you sly Italian dog," he grinned as smoke slowly exited his nose and he handed it to the boy next to him. "Why am I not surprised?" He let out a loud barking laugh and it brought him back to the first time that they had met. Sirius had been on a late night run to Hogsmeade to smuggle back some supplies from Zonkos when he literally ran into Giovanni, who was busy smuggling contraband of his own. Instead of beating each other senseless to protect their territory, they sat in the tunnel and shared a smoke, laughing at their circumstances. They never gave each other trouble after that.

"What can I say? My family is full of criminals, I have to follow in their footsteps," Gio smirked as he lowered his black wayfarers onto his face to cover his squinting eyes. He looked around for two seconds and then snapped as he realized something. "Oh right, you've never met the band! We're all Hufflepuffs except for the sprinkle of Ravenclaws at the end of the compartment there. That's Ethan next to you." He motioned to the boy with shoulder length blonde hair who had taken the funny cigarette from Sirius. "He's our drummer. Next to him is our bassist Gregory. Or Greg the Giant Ginger as we call him. Don't hog it all mate!"

"Fuck off Gio," Gregory retorted after taking a puff and proceeded to pass it to the ebony skinned Ravenclaw next to him. He took a drag and then passed it to his twin sister sitting across from him.

"Kieran and his sister Kaia." Gio explained as the two siblings exhaled and giggled in unison. "They are similar in every way except he's the pianist and she sings with me on stage. She can bang that tambourine, lemme tell you!" Kaia swatted him playfully, muttered something incoherently and handed him the joint. "And you know me – singer and guitarist. I'm a Renaissance man," the Italian joked as he took a small drag. He took several more small drags without exhaling before tapping the shoulder of the sleeping blonde sitting between him and Sirius. "Oi Gemma! Wake up you silly girl!"

The Hufflepuff sluggishly opened her bright red eyes and stared up at Sirius through her blunt cut bangs with a soft, lopsided grin.

"Hi," she said dreamily as she extended her hand out to him.

Sirius grinned as he took her hand and shook it firmly, drinking in her sharp facial features and the tantalizing curves that her acid washed bell-bottoms produced. As Gio placed the joint between her plump lips, she retracted her hand and Sirius suddenly felt a familiar rush of blood through his veins. Even though she was stoned out of her mind, he found her exceptionally attractive. She removed the joint from her mouth and as she exhaled, lazily sucked up the smoke from her mouth into her nose, perfecting the French inhale. She blew the remainder of it into his face, lifted the roll towards him and then nodded back to sleep.

"Quite the bunch you have here Gio," Sirius barked as he took another drag and passed it to Ethan, keeping the smoking circle going as his eyes lingered on Gemma's pear shaped form. "You say you're a band?"

"We're called Tarantellegra," the lead singer replied as his head bobbed up and down as Ethan began to unknowingly tap out a beat with his fingertips, "after that crazy dancing hex. We mostly practice around the castle when we find breaks in the Prefects' schedules so they don't bust us. We've played a number of Hufflepuff parties but you Gryffindors never seem to come down from your tower to join the rest of us."

"Oh they leave their fortress sometimes Gio. I've seen you around some Ravenclaw get togethers," Kieran smirked and his twin sister nodded in agreement. "Well not the night of but definitely the next morning."

"Coming out of my dormitory!" Kaia exclaimed and then burst into a fit of giggles as her brother handed her the circling object. "Sorry man, Rose wasn't very discreet about your fling."

"No offense taken," Sirius said with a small smile as he put up his hands in a forgiving manner. As the joint circled around to Gio, he leaned back, crossed his legs and began to form smoke rings by manipulating the shape of his mouth. As the rest of the compartment looked at the rings reflected in the natural sunlight in awe, Sirius snuck another glance at Gemma before taking the object from Gio, who had decided to skip his sleeping friend.

As Sirius inhaled deeply, Ethan's finger tapping became louder and Greg mimed playing the bass. Soon, Kaia began tapping her tambourine against her thigh softly and her brother acted out playing the air piano dramatically. Gio grinned and imitated his on stage guitar playing, banging his head along to the inaudible beat. Sirius could barely contain his laughter – they were all just stoned and playing in their heads for Merlin's sake – and he coughed harshly as he exhaled. After several seconds, he wiped a stray tear from his eye and that's when the idea hit him.

"What if I told you I had a gig for you lot?"

* * *

"You realize your logic doesn't make _any_ sense," Remus sighed as he closed the carriage door behind him. "You knew we couldn't do our annual Sorting Feast prank because James is Head Boy but you decided to throw an illegal party on Saturday in his honor? That's tomorrow!"

"Oh come on Moony," Sirius grinned as he took James into a playful chokehold and ruffled his jet-black hair. "You know they make us get to the castle on a Friday so they can give the first years time to adjust before classes start on Monday. The rest of us have nothing to do. Besides, look at Prongs! He's miserable!" James muttered something in response but Sirius refused to let him go. The Head Boy attempted to regain his freedom but his best friend anticipated his every move and maintained his dominance. The carriage slowly started to move towards the castle and Remus sighed as he pinched the exact spot between his two eyes in disgust. He loved his friends but sometimes they drove him up a fucking wall.

"Not only did you decide to throw a party but you invited a band to play. So we have to avoid the Prefects seeing us but now we have to avoid them hearing us as well," the werewolf groaned. The carriage hit a rock and the bump gave James the upper hand. With a triumphant cry, he broke Sirius' hold on him and pinned him against the carriage wall. Remus looked up at them through the stray sandy brown hairs that had fallen in his face.

"Unbelievable," he muttered.

"Look," James began but Sirius took the opportunity to strike back. He wiggled his limbs to break free but James slammed him harder into the wall behind him. "Hey, you stay put! You started this Padfoot!" Sirius dramatically frowned in response as Peter giggled. Remus sighed again. "Your puppy dog eyes may work on the ladies but I know your tricks, you dog! So stay! Good boy!"

"Can we please get back to the issue at hand?" Remus snapped, clearly having enough of his best friends' antics. The two boys reluctantly ceased their fake wrestling match and returned to their normal sitting positions, both muttering apologies to their friend.

"Look, I can just tell Gio I was high," Sirius muttered meekly as he looked out at the forest with a forlorn expression. "We can cancel the party."

"I never said we should _cancel _it," Remus responded, rolling his eyes. "I just said it was going to be harder to pull off." Immediately, he noticed the mischievous sparkle in his friends' eyes and he smirked and leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs.

"Mastermind Moony," Sirius beamed, "how do you propose we go about this then?"

"Just give me a second," Remus replied and immediately, Sirius attacked James and resumed their fight. Remus tuned out Sirius' grunts, James' yelps and Peter's words of encouragement as he pulled out his wand and began to twirl it with his fingers. For some reason, the act always helped him think deviously.

While he unknowingly began to bite the inside of his cheek, Remus ran through a list of spells in his head. His first thought was to cloak an old classroom so that the Prefects couldn't find it but the logical side of his brain countered that the guests wouldn't be able to find it themselves. Pushing that problem aside, he focused on limiting the amount of people. Enlargement charms would solve the room capacity but too many guests increased the likelihood that they would get caught. Remus knew the power of word of mouth could potentially kill the party even before it began.

He let out a frustrated sigh and tried to solve the noise problem. Simple charms wouldn't be able to hold the speakers' amplification but he saw no other way to mask to racket they would produce. As he transferred his wand to his other hand to resume his twirling, Sirius crashed into James with such force that he fell onto the floor and spilled the contents of his pockets. Galleons, sugar quills, a rubber ball, dungbombs, a spare pair of glasses, Quidditch plays drawn on napkins, muggle playing cards and other assorted items littered the carriage.

"Merlin James," Peter said in surprise as he picked up a chocolate frog and began to unwrap the foil, "What else do you carry around with you?" James shrugged as if to say he didn't actually know. The chocolate animal chose the exact moment to jump out of the carriage window and the boy frowned at his poor fortune. As Remus watched James collect his belongings and shove them back into his pockets, he spied a playing card that had landed on his shoe. He reached down and gazed at the Jack of Hearts as the face on the playing card grinned maniacally back at him.

"I've got it," he whispered enthusiastically as the plan began to form in his head. He glanced up at his friends who were staring back at him with confused expressions. "I've figured it out!"

"Enlighten us Moony!" Peter squealed as he clapped his hands together.

"We use these playing cards as invitations," Remus began. Sirius began to open his mouth to speak but Remus held up a hand to quiet him. "Hear me out before you start criticizing my plan." He then picked up a playing card and gave it to each one of his friends; Sirius had the Queen of Diamonds, James had the Five of Clubs, Peter had the Eight of Hearts and Remus kept the Jack. With a wave of his wand, the werewolf cast a spell and soon, each of the cards began to replicate the Jack he held.

"So you're using the Protean Charm," James said quizzically. "How does that help us?"

"_Because_," Remus countered, "tomorrow we are going to walk around school and give playing cards to the people we want to invite. Prongs and Padfoot, I'm putting you in charge of that task. Well, on second thought, maybe Padfoot should just do it since you're Head Boy." James groaned and collapsed in his seat, hating that he was missing out on all the fun just because he was in a position of power. "Once we've set up one of the empty classrooms – Wormtail, I'm putting you in charge of the noise cancelling charms – I will alter this Jack to say the location of the party. In order to get into the party, you have to slip the card under the door to enter. And of course, I'd cast a secret Slug Vomiting charm on the cards so if anyone tells, we'll know exactly who it is."

"Brilliant," Sirius grinned as he flicked his card at James, who hastily returned it to his pocket. "Your plans always are Moony. You secret devil! I would have never thought of the Slug Charm because well … who would dare tell on us?"

"Never can be too cautious," Remus smiled and then cracked his knuckles as he looked back at the Jack. Although he knew they were muggle cards, he swore he saw the character wink back at him. His smile grew. "James, give me the rest of the cards in your pockets and let the master work."

* * *

As the four boys entered the Great Hall, Peter's stomach grumbled audibly. James and Sirius snickered and Remus sent him a knowing look as they took their seats at the long Gryffindor table with the rest of their house. Since he had spent the entire train ride with his best friends, Peter hadn't a chance to look around and size up the rest of the student body. His eyes scanned the Hall and he noticed several things: Theodore Edgecomb was holding hands with Daisy Girgish, Miranda Fletcher had cut off all of her red hair and his girlfriend Aeryn Miller was barreling down the aisle with her arms wide open.

"Peter! Where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere silly!" She enveloped him with a large hug and then slid her plump, curvy body into the open seat next to him. He snuck an arm around her waist and brushed some of her extremely curly blonde hair out of her round face. She was about to give him a quick kiss when she was interrupted.

"He's been with us Aeryn," James replied as he leaned over and ruffled Peter's light brown hair. "You know how we like to steal him away from you."

"Oh James," Aeryn pouted as she snuggled into Peter's shoulder, "I've known that for the past year! It's like I'm sharing him with another woman!"

"Don't say that," Peter said as he quickly tried to swat James' hand away from his head. "And cut it out Prongs! Since we've been so busy with your party, I haven't seen Aeryn all day. Give me a moment, would you?" He leaned in to regain his stolen kiss but his girlfriend held up a finger to his lips.

"Party? What party?" she questioned, her brows furrowed.

"Wormtail!" Sirius groaned as he dramatically flopped onto the table. "You weren't supposed to tell anyone until we worked out all the kinks!"

"Sorry," Peter winced and glanced over at his girlfriend. Her cheeks began to redden and the boy knew this was not a good sign. "Aeryn," he began, trying to regain her favor so he could finally get his kiss, "we are doing something secret, ok? Something all together and something secret. You cannot tell anyone what I just said. For now, there is no party. Remember all the times you've heard us say something about an upcoming prank? Well this is kind of like those times. You'll find out tomorrow, I promise." She huffed in response and crossed her arms over her large chest. Peter gave her a peck on the cheek and she smiled and forgave him easily.

"Merlin, I wish birds forgave me that quickly," Sirius grumbled as his grey eyes became stormy. However, seconds later, they brightened as Peter noticed they zeroed in on Miranda Fletcher's exposed thigh at the end of the Gryffindor table. Aeryn rolled her eyes and Peter tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his chest. He had started dating Aeryn a year ago exactly after they courted during the summer. She was the first girl to ever show interest in him and he decided to date her since his parents had always expected him to see a girl and marry her after school like his perfect cousin Jeremy. Moreover, Aeryn was just so _easy_. Although she refused to have sex with him because she was waiting until marriage, she ignored his constant need for food, nights out during the full moon and very poor grades in Transfiguration. For Peter, she was the epitome of a dumb blonde but that was exactly why he dated her. The relationship was effortless and trouble-free.

Besides, he liked to remind his three best friends that he was the only one with a steady relationship out of the bunch. It was the only way he was superior to all of them.

At the front of the room, Dumbledore tapped his wand against the stand he was standing in front of. The noise in the room slowly bubbled down to a murmur as Peter's mouth began to salivate. He knew exactly what was coming. "For those of you who are returning, welcome back. For those of you who have just seen the castle for the first time, welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The crowd clapped softly and Dumbledore opened his arms out to his sides. "But now is not the time for speeches. Dig in!"

Immediately, the Hall filled with all kinds of food and the four Marauders grabbed as much as they could. Peter ignored Aeryn's practically empty plate and instead of questioning why she wasn't eating, he took her portion of mashed potatoes and put it on his plate next to the roasted chicken he had managed to get to before Sirius. After scooping cranberry sauce onto his plate, he noticed the three rolls of bread he had grabbed earlier were missing. He looked up to see large breadcrumbs around James' mouth.

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed. "Now I won't get any!" James smiled and gulped his mouthful of bread.

"You snooze you lose," he retorted and tried to snatch some of Remus' curried onions off of his plate. He was met with a slap on the hand as the werewolf guarded his food vigilantly. Peter chose a defensive position as he began to cut the meat on his plate. He was starving and looked forward to the Feast every year. He would not let any of his friends steal his food. He placed a piece of chicken into his mouth and closed his eyes with pleasure. It was cooked to perfection. However, when he opened his eyes, he saw his pumpkin juice was half missing. Sirius wiped his mouth and tried to feign innocence as he glared at him.

As the other boys chortled at his misfortune, Peter suddenly felt annoyed. They were supposed to be his friends, not thieves! He pulled his plate closer to him and crouched over the remainder of his meal. As his eyes scanned back and forth much like his animagus, the boy couldn't help but let the negativity course through his veins. Maybe they weren't his friends. Maybe they just kept him around to eat his food and make fun of him. Or use him to bypass the Whomping Willow every full moon. Maybe he had bet on the wrong horse. Maybe he was meant for greater things.

Yet, as James launched an entire spoonful of gravy at Sirius, Peter felt a weight fall off his shoulders.

Maybe he was just over thinking things. Maybe he had to get a thicker skin.

Maybe.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So I made my New Years resolution to finally write this story down. I hope to update every week - it all depends on how much homework I have.

This was supposed to be a Sirius/OC romance but I decided that I wanted to write about all the boys and their significant others. I also wanted a fresh take on the Marauders … so instead of Peter being a complete wuss, I see him more like Peter Campbell from Mad Men. But I'll get to that later.

Please review, I'd love to hear from you!


	2. Fool in the Rain

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter. I do own the plot and OCs.

Also, I really like italics. Sorry I'm not sorry.

* * *

"_And the warmth of your smile starts a-burnin' and the thrill of your touch gives me fright and I'm shaking so much, really yearning. Why don't you show up, make it all right?_" – Led Zeppelin, 1979

* * *

"Oh come on Moony, can we stay?"

"Pretty please?"

"_Fine_," Remus finally caved in as he set down his fork and knife by his empty breakfast plate. "You're allowed to eat one more pancake but after that, we need to get outside. We have a lot to do today." James nodded, gave him the thumbs up and finished the rest of his coffee while Sirius and Peter lunged for the remaining stack. The two boys stuffed as many pancakes as they could into their mouths and before swallowing, also gave the thumbs up to their friend. Remus rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I feel like I'm surrounded by idiots."

"At least we're entertaining idiots!" Sirius finally replied after swallowing his breakfast. "And we wouldn't have this problem if you just let me pass out the cards by myself!"

"No no no," James said, waving his hands back and forth, "We already made a deal. We are going to sit by the lake and discuss the people you want to invite. If we let you off the leash, the party would only be filled with women you've shagged. Now let's go. Moony's right, we have fucking _loads_ of set up to do."

Remus raised his eyebrow and playfully smirked at Sirius before getting up from his seat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. After swinging his bag over his shoulder, he joined his best friends as they made their way out towards the Black Lake. Soon, Remus felt hot and when the Marauders settled on the edge of the water under a large willow tree, he stripped off his beige sweater. The werewolf then tucked his white t-shirt into his chocolate corduroys and fished his black square sunglasses out his pocket.

"Merlin, it's a gorgeous day," Sirius said with complete awe as he looked up at the bright blue sky above him. "It's hot but not too hot. Just enough that the girls wear practically nothing."

"You really do have a one track mind Padfoot," Peter chuckled as he leaned up against the trunk of the large tree. Remus sat down as well and took a deep sigh as he looked out at the lake. It truly was a beautiful day but deep down inside, he felt something other than joy. He knew this would be the last time he would experience Hogwarts in September as a student and suddenly slipped into a pensive sadness.

"Right, so let's go over the people we've already invited," Sirius began, snapping Remus out of his rut, "Us, Aeryn and the band. I suppose we should invite the rest of the blokes in our year. The _Gryffindors_ I mean! Don't give me that look Prongs, I'm not trying to have Slytherins at your party." James scowled and threw a small tuft of grass at his best friend, who dodged it and continued. "I'll take that as a yes. And the girls? Sorry, let me be clearer since you don't seem to trust me. The _Gryffindor_ girls in our year."

"Well if Aeryn's going, you know she's going to tell the rest of them without meaning to," Peter sighed. "Women. They always do things in packs!"

"Right you are Wormtail," Sirius grinned and Remus tried to stifle his laughter. Even though he had a completely different love life than Peter and Sirius, he agreed with their observation wholeheartedly. "But if we invite them, we are going to run into one problem: Evans."

"She can't know of the party," James immediately said, turning white as he wrung his hands. He began to ramble. "She can't and the Prefects can't. She will personally skin me alive if she gets wind of this. I am not responsible for anything. I am not involved. At all. Got it? I had no idea you lot were planning this because I was … writing Quidditch plays all day! Yeah, that's right."

"Calm down James," Remus laughed quietly as he placed a hand on his agitated friend, "We won't invite Lily if you don't want us to." James swallowed and nodded, unclenching his fists. Remus gave him a small pat before returning to his original position. He understood James' logic. If Lily did find out, she would be extremely angry. However, part of Remus knew she would be even angrier if she found out she had been left off the guest list purposely. He had patrolled with her during his time as a Gryffindor Prefect and knew that she was a social creature.

Lily Evans hated James Potter but deep down, she hated being left out even more.

"So no Evans," Sirius said slowly as he looked at James and then panned his head to the rest of the group, "but the other Seventh Year Gryffindors will get cards. Now who's next? Ravenclaws? Hufflepuffs? What do you say Prongs?"

"Name every single person you want to invite so we can approve them but remember, _no_ Prefects," James warned.

"Fine," Sirius growled. "We've already got a lot of the Hufflepuffs playing in the band. So I'd really only add Dorcas Meadows - oh and Geoffrey Wood from Gryffindor, I forgot about him - and Lizzie Richardson." He waited until the rest of the boys nodded in approval and then continued as he counted off his fingers. "As for the Ravenclaws … William Upton, Jonathan Boot, Timothy McLaughlin, Henry Girgish, Marlene McKinnon and Rose of course. Shit, I need another girl. Who else?"

"Well the only seventh year Ravenclaw I really know is Marianne Minot," James said offhandedly and Remus tried to slow his rapidly beating heart. "I patrolled with her last night."

He tried not to let his mind wander but the former prefect couldn't help but lustfully daydream about her small, petite body and elegant face. Ever since he had met Marianne in the library during his Fifth Year, he'd been attracted to her. She was wealthy, half French and unknowingly embodied the word 'chic'. To Remus, she was perfect. Her green eyes, perfect cursive handwriting and the cute way she scrunched her face when she didn't understand an academic concept mesmerized him beyond belief. He was secretly in love with her and had been for two years.

"But you said it yourself Prongs, _no_ Prefects," Peter countered.

"Well yeah, but Padfoot says we need another girl," James replied. "We got along pretty well when we patrolled. I don't actually think she would be a problem. Right Moony?"

"Huh?" Remus said, snapping out of his reverie. "Oh Marianne, right. She's fine, she wouldn't tell." He swallowed and secretly clenched and unclenched his fists. Although he began to have feelings for Marianne during his fifth year, the other Marauders had no idea they existed. When they had first started studying together, the boys had teased him but when he blatantly lied and told them he didn't care for her in that way, they let off.

Remus had tried to get his mind off Marianne by snogging other girls but the encounters never led to anything. He liked to tell himself that his lycanthropy stopped him from having a relationship but he knew it was because he could never date a girl and be in love with someone else at the same time. It wouldn't be fair.

"See?" Sirius exclaimed, "That was easier than you thought it was going to be, wasn't it? I'm not a complete wanker. I can be left to my own devices." He winked at the rest of the group lightheartedly and then took the deck from his pocket. After shuffling out the correct amount, he placed the chosen cards into his white shirt pocket and the extras back into his black trousers.

"Right. I'll pass out the cards while you lot find the right empty classroom for tonight. And Remus, I think you should be the one to give the card to Marianne. I don't know her, James can't be seen giving out invitations and you're the one she's actually friends with. Here's a card and the Map. Find Prongs and Wormtail after you're done because Merlin knows they need your Charms skills to soundproof the venue. I'll use my mirror to contact Prongs when I'm done."

"You cheeky monkey," James said as he pinched Sirius' cheek jokingly, "look at you taking charge." Sirius tackled his best friend and soon, they resumed their wrestling match from the day before. Remus sighed once more and didn't protest. Sirius was right; he was the only logical person to invite her. After storing his sweater in his leather messenger bag, he panned the map for Marianne's dot. She was heading for the Owlery.

"I'll see you in a bit," he muttered and left as Sirius slammed James into the willow. He could still hear Peter's yelps and cheers as the boys continued to fight on the lawn as he made his way to the castle. After shuffling up the many flights of stairs, Remus tucked around a corner and surveyed the Map while catching his breath. Marianne was just above him on the stairs and soon her dot entered the Owlery. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath to calm himself as he waited.

If his plan was going to work, she needed to be leaving when he was entering.

He counted to thirty in his head, hiked up the remaining stairs and entered the room. The seventh year Ravenclaw was staring out the window with her back to him and he adored her from afar. Her cropped hair rustled in the soft wind and lightly touched the top of her white shirt that was tucked into her long black maxi skirt. Remus smiled. Marianne never wore any colors other than black, white and grey.

"Remus!" she jumped after he knocked on the wooden doorframe next to him. "Merlin you scared me!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," he replied with a smile and held up the now blank parchment he had been using to track her. "I just wanted to write and send a letter to my parents." The lie felt heavy on his tongue but Remus pushed down his feelings, just like he did every time he saw her. When he first realized he was attracted to her, he agonized that she would notice and reject him. After all, he was just a poor English bloke and she was practically a veela. There was no way that she would want damaged goods like him when she had so many suitors pursuing her.

And so, he began to keep her at a distance and as he repressed his desire, the lying became easier. His web of dishonesty allowed him to remain good-natured and cordial towards her and she never let on that she knew of his real intentions. She began to ask him to study with her regularly after they finished patrolling the castle together and he proceeded with caution. He kept her at an amicable distance, waving to her in the halls and socializing with her at parties, and reasoned that if he could not romantically be with her, friendship was enough to make him happy. However, his intense anguish towards the situation permeated his thoughts daily.

"Is your mother ill again?" she questioned as she picked up her skirt and climbed over the debris on the floor towards him.

"Sadly yes," Remus lied again. He looked down at the parchment in his hands and bit his lip. Although the Marauders often called his lycanthropy his "furry little problem", Remus told others that he had to visit his sick mother once a month. No one ever questioned his alibi and often attributed his sickly disposition before the full moon to the physical manifestation of stress about his mother. "I'm going to visit her in a week."

"I say this every time," Marianne said with a soft smile as she touched his hand lightly, "but you are the best son she could ask for. You have the biggest heart." Remus took a deep breath and returned her smile after running the corner of her playing card under his thumbnail in his pocket.

"Thank you," he graciously replied and slyly pulled the Jack of Diamonds out of his corduroys. "Listen, while I've got you here, I have something for you." He flipped the card up between his fingers and she giggled softly as she plucked it out of his grasp. "It's an invitation but I will warn you, it does come with some strings."

"Uh oh," she grinned as she inspected the card carefully, "This isn't a Marauder prank is it? You may not be a Prefect anymore but I still am."

"Well sort of," he said, scratching the back of his head unknowingly. "It's not a prank, it's a Marauder organized event. Sirius thought it would be a good idea to throw James an illegal party to cheer him up about being Head Boy. Sound logic, I know. Anyways, at 10 pm tonight, that card will show the location of the_soirée_. We would love for you to come but must ask you to keep the information to yourself if you decide not to attend. James doesn't want Lily or any of the other Prefects to find out about this."

"Well I see why," Marianne laughed as she tucked the card into the waistline of her skirt. Remus tried not to let his eyes linger on the Jack and focused on her widening smile instead. "I'd love to come, I haven't had a chance to let loose in awhile. And don't worry, I won't tell any of the others. You're just going to have to calm people down when I enter and tell them I'm not there to get them in trouble."

"I don't think that will be a problem Marianne," Remus smiled, "You are one of the most liked Prefects. And besides, a lot of your friends will be there if Sirius does his job right."

"Well you weren't a tyrant either! Everyone liked being caught by you because you were the reasonable one." Remus let out a nervous chuckle and Marianne then softly placed her hand to her lips. "I'm sorry, I should stop talking about Prefect matters. It's rude."

"No -"

"Yes, it is." She then straightened her shirt and smiled broadly at him. "I've caused you enough distress. I'll leave you alone to write your letter. See you at the party tonight Remus." With a swish of her skirt, she exited the Owlery and the heel of her sandals clacked against the stairs as she descended. Remus let out a huge sigh, stared down at the blank parchment in his hands and wondered if he could ever stop lying to the woman he desperately wanted.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Woo, next chapter! I freaking love Remus/OC stories so I had a lot of fun plotting these two. I can tell you this now though: you're going to want to slap him silly in the future ... but I always feel that way during Remus/OC romances so I'm really not giving anything away.

The next chapter will be Sirius' POV!


	3. Tumbling Dice

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter but I own the plot and OCs.

According to HP lexicon, this story starts in 1976 and the Marauders will finally graduate in 1977. I wasn't alive during those years but I've heard a lot of stories and read Eric Clapton's autobiography. This story was originally going to be much darker to reflect the extremes of the 1970s but I decided to tone it down – for instance, I was originally going to quote lyrics from Eric Clapton's song "Cocaine" for this chapter. I will only mention alcohol and gillyweed (magical weed, I've seen this in other fanfics before so I decided to use it as well) but if you want to let your mind wander outside my writing, assume the worst. Also, people smoked a lot of cigarettes back then (and still do) so that's why Gemma is a chimney.

_However_, I am not encouraging you to smoke or drink, I'm just trying to be historically accurate.

In addition, I am American. I'm trying to inject some British slang into the story but please tell me if I'm getting anything wrong here. It's really a shot in the dark for me!

* * *

"_Baby, I can't stay, you got to roll me and call me the tumblin' dice_." – The Rolling Stones, 1972

* * *

"You're _sure_ they're coming, right Sirius?"

"Yes Moony," Sirius groaned as he threw his hands in the air, "for the last time, Gio said he'd be here." His friend shrunk slightly at his sudden outburst and various other party guests tittered as they tried to eavesdrop on their conversation. Sirius grimaced and then drained the shot of firewhiskey in front of him. The alcohol blistered his taste buds but he reached out for another. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap." He slammed the second shot onto the table, gasped as he wiped the sides of his mouth and tried to reach for a third before his friend stopped him.

"I better take that one," Remus said raising his brow, "before you hurt yourself." Sirius watched as he tipped his head back and poured the whiskey down his throat; the werewolf showed no emotion as he consumed the fiery liquid. He then slammed the empty shot glass down on the table and nodded to him slowly before leaving his side. Sirius sighed heavily and rubbed his temples.

This was not going as planned.

Although he had told James he was planning the party to cheer him up, he actually had an ulterior motive for getting everyone together. Maybe it was because he'd been stuck in a gillyweed smoke filled compartment with her but Sirius couldn't get Gio's friend Gemma off his mind. He desperately needed to see her again. In an attempt to quell his desire, he'd found Miranda Fletcher the night before but her skills couldn't distract him. When passing out the invitations, he'd dallied with Rose in a broom cupboard but even his old flame's lips couldn't sidetrack his new obsession. He needed to have Gemma.

Sirius eyed the bottle of firewhiskey next to him as he felt a familiar warmth rush through his veins. He was impatient. As he reached out to fill his glass, there was a small rustling under the door and Sirius' grimace turned into a grin as a Jack skipped across the stone floor and landed in front of him.

"Sorry for the delay folks!" Gio boomed as the rest of his band poured into the room with their equipment. "We had to outrun some prefects. But never fear, Tarantellegra is here!"

As Peter rushed to close the door, the rest of the students cheered for the night's entertainment as they climbed up onto the makeshift stage. Gio was wearing black and yellow wide striped bell bottoms with a black leather vest without shirt and his female back up singer Kaia wore something similar. She had teased out her hair into an Afro, matching her brother's hairstyle. He donned deep purple velvet pants and a destroyed black t-shirt over them. Kieran passed a cigarette to Gregory, who ripped several strands of his denim jeans when climbing down to check the speaker levels. He vaulted up back onto the platform and almost ran into Ethan who scowled at him as he unbuttoned his flowery long sleeve shirt. Sirius pushed past several people to get to them and jumped up onto the stage.

"What took you so long?" he growled in Gio's ear as he wrapped his painted guitar strap around his body. Sirius could smell the alcohol and gillyweed on the Hufflepuff's breath.

"We had to _prepare_ Sirius. You of all people should understand," he winked as he began to warm up, his fingers flying over the frets. He nodded his head in the direction of the door. "You can put the sound barriers up now. I've had success with the _Oculto Mihi_ concealment charm." Sirius glanced over towards the only entrance in and out of the room and saw Remus, James and Peter began to mutter several spells as they held out their wands.

"I'm sure they've got it covered," he barked as he slapped his friend's bare back playfully. "You just make these people dance."

Gio saluted him with a large grin and turned back to his band as they finished setting up. The Gryffindor then hopped off the stage and scanned the room. To his right, James was talking to Frank Longbottom as he not so secretly pinched the arse of his girlfriend Alice Cooper, who was trying not to react. Next to them, Timothy McLaughlin was trying to chat up Miranda, who looked extremely bored. She glanced over at Sirius and licked her lips sensually. He quickly looked behind her to avoid her gaze and spied Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadows taking shots of firewhiskey with each other as Lizzie Richardson cheered them on. He watched as Remus took the bottle from the group of girls and poured a shot for Marianne, who sipped it slowly.

Then Sirius thought he saw the mass of blonde hair he was looking for but she turned out to be Persephone Davies, the first Gryffindor he'd ever shagged. He grimaced, noticing that she had become increasingly thin and sickly looking. She wiped under her nose, sniffled and then caught his glance. Her smile brightened and as she began to make her way through the throng, Sirius quickly turned around to find a hiding place.

"And where do you think you're going Mister?" Rose purred as she put a hand on his shoulder. Her flowing green dress dipped generously in the front and she threw her dark hair over her left shoulder as she thrust out her chest. He moved his lips to formulate a reply when he glanced over her shoulder to see Gemma casually leaning against the wall next to the stage. Her periwinkle, bell-bottomed halter jumpsuit accentuated her curvy form and as she tipped her head back and exhaled cigarette smoke, her blonde wavy hair cascaded down her open back.

"I have to make sure the band's set up," Sirius responded, not looking Rose in the eye as he brushed past her towards the stage. His mouth turned upwards into a seductive smirk as he weaved his way to Gemma's side. When she noticed his presence, she looked up at him through her blunt cut bangs as she took another drag from her cigarette.

"So what instrument do you play? Gio never really explained that one to me."

"I'm not in the band," she said coolly as she exhaled her smoke. "By the way, you blokes don't have a filtration system set up. It's going to get hazy in here soon." Sirius glanced around and noticed that most of the ashtrays on the tables were full and the air already felt heavy.

"So what do you propose we do kid?" he grinned as he put an arm up against the wall and leaned towards her. "Tell people they can't enjoy a smoke?"

"That would cause a riot," she snorted as she graciously blew her next exhale away from his face. "I always use a simple Erasure Spell to clear the air." She flicked off some ash from the end of her dwindling cigarette and then put it back between her luscious, pink lips.

"Well yeah, but you'd have to do that periodically throughout the night," Sirius mused as some of his long black hair fell into his face. "It would be easier to cast a repeating Transfiguration Spell to turn the smoke into fresh air."

"I guess I'll have to finish my sixth year after all," she laughed and then coughed to clear her throat as she flicked the butt of her cigarette towards the door. "I have no fucking clue how to make a spell repeat itself. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to have to get a drink. I'm parched." She eyed him up and down appreciatively and in the background, Sirius could hear Gio fusing with his amplifier. He cringed when the feedback jolted through the room.

"Sorry! Sorry! Alrighty, here we go. _Ahem_. One, two, three, four - "

As Gio's raspy voice echoed throughout the room and people began to pour towards the stage to dance, Sirius watched Gemma slide past him and head towards the drinks table as she swished her hips. She turned his back to him and he noticed a large trellis of red roses that was tattooed onto the skin of her upper right shoulder down the right section of her lower back. As the notes pulsed through the air, the flowers magically moved to the beat and Sirius felt his jaw drop.

Although she had mentioned her year to be younger than his, he had never seen a more enticing woman at Hogwarts. She was beautiful, confident and seemed to walk on the wild side without a care in the world. He narrowed his eyes angrily as he watched Peter look her up and down and pour her a drink. She thanked him, took her shot and as Gio stepped back from the microphone and started his guitar solo, disappeared into the crowd.

"_Fuck_," he breathed. "I need some bloody whiskey."

As the party raged on, Sirius couldn't keep his eyes off Gemma, even when the other Marauders had come over to socialize with him. Students began to couple off on the dance floor and the Hufflepuff kept her distance, dancing by herself right next to the stage. She sashayed and swayed her hips back and forth to the sound of Gio's guitar and Kaia's harmonies and when a male approached her, shooed him away. She wasn't interested in anything but her friends and they often shouted out to her and even brought her onstage to dance. She laughed, smiled vibrantly and closed her eyes to feel the music as Gio leaned against her, their backs touching. He finished his ending note and took several breaths before turning back to his band mates with an appreciative shout.

"We're going to take a twenty minute break but when we come back, we'll take Muggle requests!" The students cheered and immediately, several conversations broke out about how impressive the band was. During all the commotion, Sirius' eyes zeroed in on Gemma as Gregory helped her off the stage. She let out an ecstatic laugh and as he left her alone to make his way to the drinks table, she lit up a cigarette. She was clearly drunk as she sluggishly sucked the smoke from her mouth up into her nose.

"So if you're not in the band," Sirius asked as he slyly appeared next to her, "how do you know Gio?" She snorted softly, inhaled and blew the smoke upwards. Sirius could see the small beads of sweat forming on her cheeks and she gathered her long blonde hair into a messy bun to cool herself down. He felt his pulse race and the alcohol burned through his veins.

"They started Tarantellegra at my parents' joint," she replied and transferred her cigarette to her other hand in order to take another shot of firewhiskey. Eager to join her, Sirius grabbed an empty glass, poured a generous amount of liquid out of the bottle and consumed it quickly. She smiled at him lazily and continued. "We own a small, magical music hall in Islington and those vagabonds ran away from their families and joined ours." She laughed to herself and flicked some of her cigarette off to the side. "And since I'm an only child, I never complained. They used to come by every day and we would go by the Underground station, see the famous graffiti and smoke gillyweed. They're all older than me but they don't give a flying fuck because I'm a_cool cat_."

She snickered at her own joke but Sirius felt memorized and couldn't keep his eyes off her as she started to fan herself. He couldn't believe she was opening up to him so casually and calmly and he quickly poured the both of them another shot. He wanted her to keep sharing. Her carefree energy was stronger than firewhiskey and he was already addicted. The liquid sloshed out of the glasses as he over poured them.

"Careful there Black," she teased as she slightly swayed back and forth, "you're showing signs of drunkenness and haberdashery."

Sirius felt the effects of the firewhiskey he had consumed and blinked several times in attempt to stop his blurry vision. She brushed several stray hairs out of her face and then drunkenly grinned at him after putting her cigarette between her lips. She took a drag and Sirius internally groaned as she put a hand on her curvaceous hips and blew smoke into his face purposely. He wanted to capture her pretty lips with his own and shag her senseless. Normally he loved the pursuit more than the actual sexual act itself but this time, he felt jittery and anxious. He wanted to fast forward to the part when he had her alone in a broom closet.

"Lets go somewhere else," he blurted out as he placed a hand on hers. She smirked, threw her cigarette to the side and intertwined their fingers together.

"Lead the way."

They drunkenly snuck out of the party without anyone seeing them and roamed the halls, looking for a private spot. At one point, Gemma started dancing down the hallway and he had to stop himself from picking her up and twirling her around. Her laugh was infectious and soon, he felt a grin permanently plastered on his face. He whooped, not caring if a Prefect heard him, and began to join her as she made the carpet her own dance floor.

They fell into a fit of laughter and continued to dance, flailing their limbs about. Every time she brushed past him or touched him, his skin prickled in anticipation. As he spun around in place, Sirius thought he saw a light at the end of the hallway and stopped abruptly. His eyes did not betray him. As he tried to catch his balance, he spotted the light again.

"Fuck, we've been found!" Gemma shouted and quickly darted to the left towards a secret door under an ancient tapestry. Sirius grinned and looked at the approaching light before following the Hufflepuff into the dark abyss. He followed her as she raced down the long, curvy passageway and almost ran into her as she suddenly stopped. Her proximity was electric and his arms snaked around her waist as she turned towards him. Unable to contain himself, Sirius let go of his inhibitions and hoisted her up against the wall.

Their affair was brief. Both of their chests touched as they heaved several times in unison to catch their breaths. Sirius felt his brain turn to complete mush as he nuzzled his face against the hot skin of her neck. Time slowed down and he inhaled in her scent, closing his eyes; she smelled like cinnamon with a touch of cigarette smoke. He hoped to Merlin that he remembered her natural perfume in the morning. It was exhilarating. Gemma laughed softly and took his face in her silver ring clad hands. She smiled, closed the gap between their lips and moaned appreciatively when he began to kiss her back. Sirius felt like he was flying. His blood coursed through his veins and he slipped into a warm lull as he snogged her tenderly.

"Alright Black," she whispered after pulling away from him, "time to put me down." He gently placed her on the floor and she retrieved her clothes as he drank in her natural pear shape. She turned her back to him and as she tied the halter of her jumpsuit, his fingers traced her tattoo. He could feel the goose bumps on her flesh as she shivered in delight.

"Merlin that feels good," she said breathlessly as he stood behind her, half clothed in his denim jeans, and began to gently massage her shoulders.

"Where did you get that piece of art on your back?" he murmured in her ear.

"Friend of my dad's," she replied as she straightened out the periwinkle fabric that now covered most of her glistening white skin. "He charmed it to mirror my mood." Sirius looked down at her open back and noticed that the roses were now a brighter shade of red than before. He grinned as he let his hands wander down her spine, following the outside lines of the trellis. He reached towards her as she moved away to throw her hair back into a messy bun and craved the feel of her skin.

She smiled softly at him and then gave him a peck on the lips.

"I'll see you around Black."

"Wait, Gemma!" he desperately called out as she moved away from him even further. He had never felt this way about a female before but he couldn't bear the thought of being without her. She was too intoxicating, too enticing. "Y-you don't want to stay here for a bit?"

"Shit, the only reason I left the party with you was because I thought you weren't a 'talker'," she laughed, throwing her head back. "I've got to get back to my bed, my head is going to kill me in the morning."

"It's late, I could walk you there. I'm an expert in avoiding authority," he smirked as he tried to convince her by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I think McGonagall would beg to differ," Gemma snorted as she brushed his hands away. Sirius felt her euphoric warmth leave his body and he longed for it to return. He still felt enraptured by her bubbly laugh and as she turned to leave, he whipped her around and snogged her hungrily. She responded eagerly and then patted his chest playfully as she bit his lip to finish the kiss.

"Look darling, I'm a rolling stone – I don't stay in one place very long. I'll see you around Sirius." He watched her swish her hips back and forth down the secret tunnel and when the darkness enveloped her, he felt his heartstrings snap.

Sirius Black was falling in love and it scared the shit out of him.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So this pairing was the catalyst for the story. I adore them. To me, Sirius is totally Ben Barnes when he has long hair. As for Gemma … I was reading a magazine when I was getting my hair done and saw these gorgeous pictures of Taylor Swift with bangs. It's called "Taylor Swift wears the pants" or something along those lines if you want to look them up. The funny thing is that I really don't like her and Gemma is the complete opposite of Taylor Swift but I'd say they physically look the same.

I have a whole pinterest board for this story so I'm in the process of finding play bys for the rest of the characters. Stay tuned for James' chapter, almost done with it!


	4. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

**Disclaimer**: I am a woman, not a man. I tried my best to recreate an emotional dude sesh but I honestly have no idea how males think when they are together. If you're a guy, please give me some pointers.

* * *

"_What do I do to make you want me? What have I got to do to be heard? What do I say when it's all over and sorry seems to be the hardest word?_" – Elton John, 1976

* * *

James Potter's eyes slowly fluttered open as he awoke the next morning with an extremely large hangover. He squinted and fumbled around for his glasses, licking his dry lips. After knocking over a glass tumbler, he retrieved his frames and slowly sat up to survey the damage. The empty classroom was littered with discarded cups, empty goblets and cigarette butts. He tilted his head to the side to crack his aching neck when he spied Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadows sleeping on each other. He raised a quizzical brow and looked past them to see Peter curled up in a corner next to Remus. Several yards away, Sirius and Gio had passed out on the stage with full shots of firewhiskey in their hands.

James rubbed his temples in order to calm his throbbing head and noticed that he had ripped his black dress slacks at some point during the party. As he leaned towards his right to find out how big the tear was, he realized he didn't remember damaging his pants at all.

"Bugger," he muttered.

He took a deep breath and coughed several times. After grunting to himself, James ran a hand through his extremely messy jet-black hair and slowly blinked several times to adjust to the blinding light. He desperately needed a glass of water and a shower. As he reached out to find his wand, he heard excessive stomping coming from outside the classroom and immediately froze.

"I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE JAMES POTTER! OPEN THIS DOOR _RIGHT_ NOW!"

As Lily Evans beat her fists against the door to the old classroom, several students groaned and slowly opened their eyes. Marlene and Dorcas sat up, stretched and smiled at each other as they threw on their cloaks. Sirius growled, rolled over and put his hands over his ears as Lily knocked louder. Remus was the first to stand up but immediately sat back down when he almost lost his balance. He was still drunk. James frowned deeply and used the chair next to him as support. As Lily called his name several more times, he stood and muttered to himself dejectedly as he approached the door. Before opening it, he took a deep breath and braced himself for the shit storm he was about to encounter.

"Look Evans, I can expl-"

"Don't even _bother_ Potter," Lily fumed as she brushed past him into the room. She began to examine remnants of the party with a disgusted look plastered on her face and he placed his hand over his eyes and muttered obscenities. She suddenly whipped around and before James could react, pushed him in the chest.

"Are you mental? Seriously, I want to know."

He stumbled backwards and grabbed the side of a table to keep himself from falling over. His hand brushed against an ashtray and several old cigarettes dropped to the floor. Lily scoffed at him loudly and placed her hands over her chest.

"Listen -"

"You know what? There's nothing to explain. You clearly can't handle responsibility, " she said, throwing her hands up into the air. "You just do whatever you want and expect the rest of us to pick up the slack."

"Lily, please -"

"No," she spat, "you've gone too far this time James Potter. Last night, my entire dorm room was empty. Completely empty! When I woke up this morning, I found Alice Cooper sleeping next to one of the toilets. She started puking slugs when I asked her where she'd been and that's when I knew you were behind this. The situation had your childish behavior written all over it."

She whipped out her wand and forcefully said several cleaning spells. Peter yawned as Marlene and Dorcas quietly made their escape out the door and James gulped several times as tears began to prickle his eyes. His tried to move his lips to form a brilliant, romantic apology but his tongue was stuck to the wall of his dry mouth.

He couldn't speak. He couldn't move.

"You don't know how much I want to report you to Dumbledore," Lily said furiously as she pocketed her wand. "I could have you _expelled_." James sucked in a large breath as his eyes widened. He was petrified. "However, I'm prepared to make a deal with you."

"A deal?" he squeaked, raising his brow slightly as he watched her cross her arms over her chest.

"Yes, you toerag! I won't tell Dumbledore if you leave me alone for the rest of the year," she answered and tapped her foot against the stone floor. His chest felt tight. He felt like he was underwater and gasping for air. "And I mean _alone_. No more Quidditch moves to impress me. No more asking me out. No more proposals. We will only talk when we have to. Otherwise, I don't want you anywhere near me. You got it?" He blinked several times in confusion. She snapped next to his left ear and he yelped as his ears rung loudly.

"Yeah I got it," he whimpered as he rubbed the side of his head. "I'll leave you alone."

"Good," she said smugly, "now go clean yourself up. You have vomit on your shirt." She turned on her heel towards the door and he looked up at the ceiling, internally berating himself. On her way out, she glared at Remus, who was busy drinking a large glass of water. He looked up at her with pleading, glassy eyes. She sighed, shook her head and slammed the door loudly when she exited.

James immediately deflated and collapsed into a chair next to a large circular table. Sirius grunt softly as he shook Gio awake and slowly stood up from the stage floor. The Hufflepuff opened his eyes, consumed the full shot in his hands and gasped as he joined the other boys at the table. Soon, Peter led Remus over to join them. They sat in silence for several minutes as they all adjusted to the early morning hour. James held his chest as he took several deep breaths and felt an invisible hand unclench his lungs. He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, trying not to think of Lily's piercing green eyes.

"What _happened_ last night?" he finally asked.

"I've got no bloody clue," Remus grimaced as he took another sip of his water.

"Neither do I," Peter groaned as he placed his head on the table and closed his eyes. "I just want to sleep forever."

"My my," Gio laughed as he kicked up his heels and leaned on the back legs of his chair, "you Gryffindors like your liquor. I've never seen so many firewhiskey bottles in one room." The boys chuckled softly and then silence enveloped the room for several more minutes.

"I'm so sorry Prongs," Sirius finally confessed as he threw his hands on the table, making Peter jump. "I didn't mean for Evans to explode and blackmail you to fuck off, I swear!"

"It's ok Padfoot," James sighed as he held his head in his hands. "It's my own damn fault. You didn't make me drink an entire bottle of firewhiskey, I did. I should have been more careful."

"Careful?" Gio grinned as he set his front chair legs back on the ground. "You lot were anything but careful last night. You were completely shit faced." He summoned his cloak, put it around his shoulders and stood up. "It's been a pleasure boys. Let's do this again sometime. I got a lot of positive feedback last night."

"Is that what you call snogging groupies these days?" Sirius called over his shoulder as the Hufflepuff opened the door to leave. Gio snorted and waved goodbye before leaving the classroom. James placed his glasses on top of his head and rubbed his eyes sluggishly. He heard Sirius pull out his wand and mutter several spells. He pulled down his glasses and after blinking several times, focused his eyes on the object in front of him. It was a cold glass of water. Using his Quidditch reflexes, he quickly reached out to grab it. The water trickled down his throat and James felt instant relief.

"Thanks Padfoot," he said in between gulps. Sirius nodded to him and conjured up two more glasses for Peter and himself. The room fell silent again as they quenched their thirst. James set his empty glass down on the table and instantly it refilled itself. "Brilliant!"

"I'll pay you to make mine do that," Remus muttered as he placed his empty glass on the table. As Sirius began to charm the object in front of him, James coughed several times and hit his chest to loosen it up. He felt like shit but the water was helping his headache. His ears, however, continued to ring.

"Well according to Giovanni," Peter began, "we all lost our minds last night. How did that happen? I remember when the band started playing but I don't remember much after that."

"That's your own fault Wormtail," Remus said rolling his eyes. "You got drunk because you had all the liquor around you. Everyone else got sloshed because of your extremely large pours." He hiccupped and Sirius laughed softly and pointed at his mortified face.

"I remember enjoying the band and then talking to them at the break," James said, scratching his head, "but then you found me Padfoot. I was in a shitty mood and wanted to get really drunk if I remember correctly."

"Why?" Remus said after sipping his refilled water. "You looked like you were having a blast."

"Well I was," James replied, "but then I remembered that I was Head Boy and I was breaking the rules by drinking at an illegal party on the second night of the term." He sighed and buried his head back into his hands. The negative feelings from the night before washed over him and he felt defeated and depressed. It hurt to breathe. He ran his hands through his messy hair and reached out for his water.

After several gulps, he continued. "You know the saying 'heavy hangs the head that wears the crown'? Well it's true. All I want to do is prank the living snot out of Snivellus but I can't. I have sit in meetings and plan things. I have to be a role model. I have to be _responsible_." He caught Remus' forlorn look out of the corner of his eye and grimaced. "Shit, I'm sorry Moony, I shouldn't have said those things. I know how much you wanted to be Head Boy. Merlin, I really don't deserve this position! I'm a failure!" He collapsed onto the table with a huff.

"No," Remus said softly as he placed a hand on his shoulder and hiccupped again, "don't say that James. I'll admit I was angry when I didn't get the Head Boy badge and blamed my lycanthropy … which is probably why_I_ drank more than I should have last night. But I figured it out when I was watching you dancing on top of one of the tables."

James sucked in a breath; dancing on a table was another thing he didn't remember doing.

"Dumbledore would never deny me a position just because I was bitten. He knew I was the best candidate but had never experienced real failure. He also knew you always mucked around and didn't learn from your mistakes. Don't you see James? He's testing us both."

"You should have been a Ravenclaw Remus," Peter guffawed as he took a sip of his water. "You can decode any puzzling situation."

"He's just thinking differently because he's still drunk," Sirius muttered.

"You're right Moony," James said as he lifted his head up off the table and smiled. "He is testing us, isn't he?" He took several unimpeded breaths and felt the color rush back to his face. It was going to be ok. He was going to be fine. "This is only a minor setback, not the end of the world. I'm not a failure, I'm just a beginner. I can learn." His smile turned into a large grin as he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. Relief washed over him and his breaths were deeper and more confident. He could be an excellent Head Boy; he just needed to practice being responsible first. It was a challenge he was willing to accept.

"At least Evans didn't expel you," Peter said with a small point of his finger. "_That_ would have been the end of the world."

"Merlin, she really did almost expelled me, didn't she?" James joked as his hands fell to his sides. However, his laughter quickly died on his lips when he realized the implications of their deal. No more love letters. No more trying to eavesdrop on her conversations at mealtimes. No more tantrums when she showed another male student affection. James clenched and unclenched his fists.

Every fiber of his being told him to keep pursuing Lily Evans but his brain felt exhausted. He was tired of chasing her when nothing seemed to work. Maybe he needed to apply his responsibility logic to his unrequited romance. It was time to grow up and actually listen to what she was saying instead of making wild judgments about her feelings towards him. He'd never stop loving her but if she wanted him out of her life that badly, then he would leave her alone.

He suddenly felt something rise up from inside him. What if she was testing him too? He couldn't be sure; critical thinking hurt his brain when he was this hungover. He rubbed his temples and out of the corner of his eye, saw Sirius frowning. James nudged his best friend playfully.

"You alright there mate? You haven't said a lot. If my memory is correct, you weren't in a splendid mood either. Where were you before we found each other?"

"Around," Sirius grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"_Around_?" James questioned. "Moony and I just bared our souls here, you're going to have to come up with a better answer than that."

"Fine," Sirius huffed as he rolled his eyes, "I snuck away from the party with Gio's friend Gemma. You know, the blonde that hangs around with the band, the one with the rose trellis tattoo." James saw his stormy grey eyes flash and became concerned. "We … we shagged. And I can't stop thinking about it."

"It was that good, eh?" Peter joked and James glared at him stonily when Sirius didn't laugh.

"It was more than good," Sirius said with a sigh. "It was the best I've ever had. I don't know what it is about her but … I can't get her out of my thoughts. Her laughter is still bouncing around in my head and it's not helping my hangover. At this point, all I want to do is stick my head in a bag of cinnamon." He slumped in his chair and James felt his eyes pop out of his sockets. This was not typical Sirius behavior.

"Sounds like someone is in love," Remus slurred as he ruffled Sirius' long hair. The werewolf laughed as the boy glared back at him. "Come on Sirius. Do you hear yourself?"

"What do you know about love Remus?" he countered icily. The sandy hair Gryffindor paused before masking him grimace by taking a sip of water.

"More than you know," he muttered. James knitted his brow in alarm.

"Look, I'm the only one with a girlfriend. I should have the final say here," Peter said as he rose from the table and waved his arms around. He began to unknowingly rant. "Sirius, you've flittered around from bird to bird - sure you've had girlfriends before but the relationships have never lasted very long. So you fancy this one? Stop moping and go get her! Enjoy female company for once."

He then turned to James and pointed his finger in his face. "We all know you're in love but you just don't know how to contain yourself. Take Evans' advice and leave her alone. It might do you some good."

The boy then wheeled around to face Remus. "And you? I haven't figured it out yet but I've been watching you. You're depressed all the time. You're not telling us something. But don't you see? It's simple. Love is all about strategy! It's about self-preservation and waiting for the opportune moment. Once you find it, you take it. That's the only way to win and get what you want!"

"Merlin Wormtail, how are you so honest and passionate at this early hour?" Sirius said as he mimed cleaning out his ears.

"I'm sorry," Peter huffed and sat back down, shaking his head. "I'm just hungover and in a bad mood. Aeryn got a little mad at me last night for not wanting to sleep in her bed with her. I didn't mean anything I just said. Don't listen to me."

"No, he's right," Remus said softly. "Sometimes you have to do the hardest thing because in the end, it will be better for everyone involved." The boys fell silent again as they processed their conversation. Sirius ran a hand through his hair and exhaled noisily. Remus slowly took another sip of his water calmly. As Peter leaned back in his chair with a slight smile on his face, James straightened his glasses to hide the tears that prickled his eyes once again. He knew Peter and Remus were right but he still felt empty, cold and hollow. He gulped and then held a hand to his chest to slow his breathing. He looked up at the ceiling and tightly gripped the side of his chair with his other hand.

"Goodbye my Lily Flower," he whispered as tears began to pour his cheeks. "I'll always love you."

* * *

**Author's Note**: First of all LOL AT SNARKY DRUNK REMUS. I originally had him doing a lot more stupid shit but I cut most of it out.

Poor _panicattack! _James. I wanted to hug him this entire chapter.

Aaaaaand here comes evil Peter! I had a really hard time writing this chapter because I didn't want to give anything away too soon. He's cracking but he's mostly good at this point – the next chapter in his POV should make things more clear.


	5. Witchy Woman

**Disclaimer**: my version of Peter Pettigrew is probably different than most. While I don't consider him AU in this fic, I do think that his betrayal started earlier than a year before the Potter's died. There's a quote out there by McGonagall in one of the books - she says he was foolish and a coward but if he was able to fool his best friends for a year plus, I'd say he was able to fool her as well. I want to portray him as weak and powerless but I'm choosing to write him doing something about it instead of laying back and taking it. Most of his betrayal will happen in the sequel to this fic but as I said, it had to start somewhere.

* * *

"_Raven hair and ruby lips, sparks fly from her finger tips. Echoed voices in the night, she's a restless spirit on an endless flight_." – The Eagles, 1972

* * *

After nursing their hangovers for the rest of the day, the Marauders trudged up the stairs to their dorm room, flopped onto their beds and collectively groaned. They had barely eaten all day and still felt extremely tired. Peter rolled over onto his back and looked up at the deep red canopy above him. His brain still hurt. In an attempt to feel more comfortable, he threw back all of his plush covers and dove beneath his sheets. He wrapped all the blankets around him and curled into a little ball.

"How does Aeryn fall asleep next to you Wormtail?" Sirius laughed as he kicked off his shoes. "You take all the covers!"

"Hey!" Peter exclaimed as he curled into a tighter ball. "I share! And you're one to talk - you bark and run in your sleep! No wonder you never bring women back to your bed."

"First of all, girls happen to think my puppy dreams are cute," Sirius responded with a dashing grin as he threw a pillow at Peter. "Second of all, I made a promise to you lot that I would never let a female into our sacred man cave. None of you have shagged in here so out of respect, I haven't either."

"You're such a bad liar," James laughed as he put his hands behind his head. "It has nothing to do with us. You just like to keep your love life and your personal life separate. Or you just have an odd obsession with clean sheets." As Sirius began to respond to James' barb, Peter took the opportunity to throw the pillow back and cheered when it sailed through the air and smacked his friend in the face. In retaliation, Sirius threw the object back at Peter but when the boy ducked, he hit Remus instead. The werewolf grunted and lobbed the pillow at Sirius with such force that it knocked him off his bed.

"Merlin Remus," Sirius said breathlessly as he climbed up from the floor and back into his bed, "I only hit you on accident. No need to flex your muscles."

"The full moon is next Saturday," he muttered. "I can't help it."

Peter yawned as the rest of the boys fell silent and then snuggled further into his nest. His eyes felt heavy and he desperately wanted to fall asleep but knew that he had to find Aeryn. He'd been purposely avoiding her all day. He didn't expect their relationship to end over a small tiff about sleeping next to each other but he still didn't like the idea of walking into a fight. He knew Aeryn liked to blow things out of proportion and act hysterical just so she could get her way. She didn't protest much but when she did, she made sure Peter heard her. He sighed, rolled his eyes and threw back his covers. As he began to tie his shoes, he caught James, Remus and Sirius staring at him.

"Aeryn" was all Peter needed to say. They collectively cringed.

"I told you not to wait Wormtail," Remus sighed as he handed him the Marauder's Map. "You know she's been steaming all day. You're only making it worse for yourself."

"You can't blame me for not taking you seriously," Peter grumbled, "you were still drunk when you said that." He accidentally ripped the piece of paper out of Remus' hands with a little too much force and yelped when a small part of the corner tore off. "Shit! I'm – I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to -"

"Relax Wormtail," James said as he put a hand on his shoulder, "We can fix the tear. Just go fix things with Aeryn, would you?" Peter gulped and nodded. As he turned to exit the dormitory, he saw Sirius give him the thumbs up. He returned the sign and then descended the stairs into the common room. After scanning quickly, he saw Xavier Frobisher playing exploding snap with a group of other 5th years and noticed Sybil Brown and a small group of 4th year girls eying them playfully. However, he found no sign of his girlfriend. He took a couple steps backwards and tucked into a shadowy corner.

"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good."

The map revealed that she was not in the Gryffindor Tower. Peter knitted his brows in concern and began to unfold the piece of paper to show more detail. He spun it around several times, trying to find the small dot that said Aeryn Miller but failed to find what he was looking for. Peter huffed and leaned back against the wall behind him. This was not proving to be easy. As he began to fold the parchment back together, he suddenly stopped when he noticed Aeryn's dot was on top of the Astronomy Tower, pacing back and forth. He quickly pocketed the map and sprinted up the many flights of stairs to join his girlfriend. When he reached the top, he leaned against the cold stone archway and gasped deeply for air. His noises alerted Aeryn and she bristled slightly but did not acknowledge his presence.

"Aeryn." She crossed her arms over her chest and refused to turn around. "Aeryn, what are you even doing up here?" He knew she could hear him and frowned when she still did not move. He took several more breaths and then slowly shuffled across the open patio. She huffed softly and in order to calm her, he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Aeryn, please listen to me."

"What have you got to say?"

"That I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what exactly?"

"I'm sorry I didn't fall asleep next to you."

"You think that's why I'm mad?" Aeryn boiled over as she ripped his hands from her shoulders. "You're so obtuse!"

"Why else would you be this angry?" Peter responded, clearly confused.

"I'm _angry_," she erupted, "because you spend more time with your Marauders than you do with me!"

"Not this again," he groaned as he rubbed his temples. "For the last time, I do not spend more time with them."

"But you do! You never came home last night and I couldn't find you all day. You were with them, not me. It's not fair!"

"Are you serious Aeryn?" Peter flared. "I've been hungover all day. I was sparing you, not ignoring you." He barely recognized the lie coming out of his mouth as he felt his anger pulse through his veins. It consumed him and he felt his face redden as his fists clenched at his sides.

"I don't believe you," she said icily as she glared at him. He scoffed in return. With a huff, she crossed her arms over her chest again and looked in the other direction. When he tried to reach out and wrap his arms around her, she sidestepped his advance.

"MERLIN woman!" Peter groaned forcefully as he rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips, "What do you bloody _want_ from me? I'm here to apologize to you, not break things off." His tone instantly alarmed Aeryn and she shrank slightly. He could tell she had not expected him to lash out at her normal, albeit childish antics. He sighed, realizing that he had let his anger get the best of him, and deflated as she began to whimper. "I'm sorry. I'm didn't mean-"

"Oh Peter, I don't want to fight!" Aeryn blubbered as she began to break down in front of him. She reached out and clasped onto his red t-shirt as if her life depended on it. Peter exhaled noisily, wrapped his arms around her shaking body and realized that he had no idea how the female brain worked.

"Shhhhh, it's ok," he murmured into her ear as he held her closely. "I don't want to fight either. Lets forget this whole thing happened, alright?" She nodded and continued to cry and he felt her tears soak through the fabric of his shirt. He patted her back several times and when a gust of wind blew by them, felt her shaking from the cold. She whimpered softly again; her thin green tank top and jean skirt was clearly not enough to keep her warm.

"Peter, can we go inside and cuddle? Please? It's so cold!"

"I'll be just a moment," he replied, motioning to the small carton of cigarettes in his pocket. "I'll sneak into your dormitory when I'm finished. Then we can cuddle."

"Ok my darling," she said with a small smile as she pinched his cheek. "I love you."

"Love you too," he responded softly as he kissed her on the cheek. Her smile turned into a full-blown grin and she skipped slightly as she passed through the stone archway and down the stairs. Peter quickly ripped a cigarette out of his container, pushed it into his mouth and used his wand to light the end. He inhaled deeply and finally began to relax. He like to keep a carton on hand like most of the students at Hogwarts in case he felt the need to smoke but lately, he'd been lighting up more and more often. As he exhaled, he grabbed onto the railing and looked out at the ink black night sky.

The boy had expected the fight to rage on for much longer and therefore took some time for himself. He wondered why had he gotten so angry with Aeryn in the first place. She had a point; he did blow her off to hang out with his mates a lot. However, their long-standing argument normally didn't send them into a shouting match. Usually, he let her rant and rave until she tired herself out and then he would apologize to make things better. It was a cycle they went through every two months or so. She would break out and he would contain things.

Yet this evening, Peter wanted to do nothing more than piss her off. He wanted to be the one to do the ranting and raving. He wanted to be in control for once.

The Gryffindor took another drag and watched as the smoke left his mouth and floated up towards the twinkling stars above him. While his sudden outburst concerned him, he realized that it was not an isolated incident. He'd been short with his friends earlier in the day too. He sucked in more smoke and flicked some ash off the side of the tower.

As the end of his cigarette continued to smolder, he knitted his brows and found himself pacing back and forth as he tried to figure out the source of his explosions. The first had been after his mates had been squabbling and the second was after Aeryn had given him her usual amount of sass. Both situations were not new; Peter dealt with them on a daily basis. So why had they sent him into such a tailspin?

The seventh year sighed and placed the cigarette back into his mouth. After thinking for several minutes and smoking two more cigarettes, he supposed it was because he felt stuck. His parents placed so many expectations on him, his mates always shined brighter than him, his girlfriend constantly fought him for his attention and there was nothing he could do about it. He felt his six years at Hogwarts had accumulated into a stagnant lifestyle that constantly depressed him. The worst part was that he could not break free from his routines. He could not make his own path.

"Am I meant for something more?" he pondered, looking up at the night sky. Suddenly the wind gusted and blew his almost finished cigarette out of his hands. He watched it float over the edge of the Astronomy Tower with a mournful expression. "Apparently not."

He thrust his hands into his pockets and trudged towards the archway. As he slowly plodded down the stairs towards the Gryffindor Tower, he considered lighting up another cigarette to smoke on the way back. He quickly thought against it, realizing that the Prefects would start their rounds soon. Although most students smoked around the castle, he Prefects did not take kindly to those using a nicotine addiction as an excuse for walking around after hours. He ran a hand through his long, light brown hair as he descended the last couple of steps and hit the long hallway that led to the other parts of the castle. He had to hurry.

Peter started to make his way back towards Aeryn's dorm room when he thought he saw something move in the distance. He yelped softly and tucked into the shadows to consult his map to see if it was a Prefect. His eyes followed the empty corridor until it hit a dot about a hundred or so feet in front of him: Luciana Rosier.

"Rosier … where have I heard that name before?" Peter muttered to himself as he watched her dot move away. Then it hit him: Sirius had been ranting about the family for most of the train ride. He'd denounced them for their notoriously abusive Muggle hunting parties on their large estate in Scotland. Peter didn't know how old Luciana was or how well she could brandish her wand but Sirius' outburst was enough to warm him to stay away from her. He quickly tucked the map into his pocket and transformed into his animagus.

He scurried down the hallway as a rat in the shadows to squeak by her undetected. Soon, he closed the gap between them and was just about to pass her when she crossed in front of one of the large open windows. The moonlight illuminated her extremely pale skin and she pushed back some of her long dark chocolate tresses to revealed her defined cheekbones and plump lips that held a cigarette between them. She dipped her head and lit the end of it, putting her wand away as smoke began to billow up from her face. As Luciana inhaled again, she passed by the window and fell into the shadows across from Peter.

He followed her for several feet, making sure to be quiet, and couldn't take his eyes off her. With his enhanced vision, he watched her as she swished her hips back and forth, clearly not giving a fuck if she was caught breaking the rules. She exhaled and Peter felt his heart race; not only was he attracted to her classic hourglass shape but her blatant smoking exhibition made him want a cigarette. He dashed to her side of the hallway and followed closely behind her as she continued to smoke.

Their path suddenly split. Peter knew he had to turn left to make his way back to Aeryn but he felt drawn to Luciana. She emanated sexuality, lawlessness and power, all of which Peter desperately wanted in his life. His animal instincts quickly took over and he followed her to the right as she made her way down towards the Slytherin dungeons. Even though they walked in silence, Peter continued to be blown away by her demeanor and beauty. He contemplating turning back into his human form to try and make contact with her but knew that Peter Pettigrew was not enough to catch the snake's gaze. She was hungry and on the prowl but for someone much more confident and powerful than him. He stayed in the shadows as she muttered the password and entered her common room.

The room suddenly felt darker and much colder.

Peter started to pant anxiously when he realized that he was in enemy territory. It was like he was coming out of a blackout. How he let his obsession go this far? If any Slytherin saw him, they would attack him with no reservations. He quickly scurried back up the stairs towards the Gryffindor Tower and once he hit the main floor, took several misdirectional routes to confuse anyone following him.

While he couldn't hear anyone behind him, he was completely paranoid that someone would find out about his exploration with the wild side. His heart pounded as he finally found a discrete corner near the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Peter changed back into his human form and clutched his chest in fear when he realized he had just followed a Slytherin down to the dungeons without even questioning his motives. It was another outburst he could not explain.

"What the fuck is happening to me?" he cried.

* * *

**Author's note**: I'm having trouble finding a play by for Peter. I was on HP wiki and saw the picture of him in the flashback in the movies so I've been using that for a reference. The same applies to Aeryn – my description of her doesn't really match any Hollywood celebrity. So for the moment, construct them in your minds while I work on it. Please let me know if you have any ideas for me! As for the others … Remus is totally a young Leonardo Dicaprio and Marianne is Natalie Portman. James is a young Hugh Dancy with glasses and Lily is Karen Gillan. And just to recap from last chapter, Sirius is Ben Barnes and Gemma is Taylor Swift (only in physical appearance, not personality). As for Luciana ... is she important enough to have a play by? You'll just have to wait and see!

The next chapter will be the Marauders all together. I know I'm throwing a lot of plot and details at you but there are a lot of POV changes in this story so you won't necessarily read the Marauder's individual thoughts for the next couple chapters. There is a method to my madness, I swear!


	6. Samson and Delilah

**Disclaimer**: "mes sœurs" means "my sisters" in French.

* * *

"_If I had my way, I would tear this old building down_!" – The Grateful Dead, 1976

* * *

Remus grabbed his head as it throbbed maliciously. He reached out for his pumpkin juice but even his favorite beverage couldn't cure his pre-transformation aches and pains. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, not even bothering to look at the full breakfast on his plate in front of him. He knew if he tried to eat it, it would come right back up his throat.

"You alright there mate?" James questioned, poking him in the shoulder.

"I'm fine," Remus grumbled in response as he laid his head on the vacant spot on the table in front of him. He closed his eyes and tried not to focus on his discomfort. The table felt cool against his burning skin and he attempted to savor the small sense of relief it gave him.

"Bullshit," Sirius responded as he poured Remus' goblet full of more pumpkin juice from across the way. "You're as white as a sheet. Here, drink this. We all know you love it almost as much as you love chocolate."

"Mmmmm chocolate," the werewolf managed to mumble, his head still plastered to the wood of the table. His mouth watered at the mere thought of the succulent sweet. At that moment, he would have done just about anything for a Honeydukes chocolate bar. It was one of the best ways to fight off his pain.

"Maybe you should take the day off Moony," Peter said nervously as Persephone Davies and Geoffrey Wood began to stare at Remus and whisper. "It's Friday, I'm sure the staff wouldn't mind you leaving early … _to see your parents_." Remus opened one eye to see that the eavesdropping students shrugged as if to say the drama was old news and went back to eating their breakfast. Even though he felt delirious, the deception brought a slight smile to his face.

"Oh Remus!" he heard a familiar voice cry out. "Are you alright?"

The Gryffindor's head snapped up off the table and in the process, collided with the sausage plate that Sirius was levitating towards himself. Remus let out a string of expletives as his headache pounded even harder due to the recent blow and Sirius desperately apologized. He sighed, rubbed his temples in vain and peaked up from behind his long sandy brown hair at Marianne, who was now standing beside him.

"I'm fine. Really."

"You don't look fine," she replied, raising a brow and putting her hands on her black, wide leg trouser clad hips. "In fact, you look downright terrible."

"He's just nervous about his mother. He always gets this way before he sees her, don't you Moony?" James said, slapping Remus on the back playfully. The werewolf grunted painfully in response and it was the Head Boy's turn to apologize profusely. He put up a hand to stop James from groveling and pinched the bridge of his nose again as another wave of pain crashed down upon him. He could have dealt with a day of classes but he was not prepared to deal to Marianne and desperately wanted her to leave him alone to wallow in agony.

Besides, he could smell that someone somewhere had a box of chocolates and he felt like ripping the place apart to get them.

However, luck did not seem to be on his side that morning. Remus suddenly winced as two shrill voices echoed through the hall and continued to ring in his ears. He spread his fingers out across brows, recognizing the piercing tones immediately, and braced himself for the energy overload he was about to encounter.

"Marianne, _Marianne_! You have to hear the news!"

"It's cousin William!"

"He's engaged!"

"To the _American_!"

"Oh hello there Remus!"

"Calm down _mes sœurs_," Remus heard Marianne hush her younger sisters. The Gryffindor removed his hand from his face and gazed up at the siblings before him. They all shared the same shade of dark brown hair, short stature and expensive taste. Marianne stood in the middle and wrapped her hands protectively around her kin. Gabrielle, a 4th year Ravenclaw, positioned herself to her eldest sister's right and scowled when her youngest sister Nanette, a 2nd year Hufflepuff, stuck her tongue out at her. Marianne held them tighter to her sides when they started to quarrel in front of the Marauders; she realized their early morning vigor was painful to Remus' ears when he knitted his brows painfully.

"Run along now, you can tell me about the engagement later."

"But it's a scandal!" Gabrielle retorted, balancing her black-framed glasses on her upturned nose.

"I'd hardly call a bankrupt English aristocrat marrying an American heiress a scandal," Marianne cajoled as she released her sisters and pushed them towards the large doors of the Great Hall. "It's been done too many times before!"

When they protested, she began to rapidly lecture them in French. Remus normally found her voice to be passionate and musical when she spoke in her mother's native language but this morning his heightened senses picked up on her harsh tones as she shooed her sisters away. The middle Minot then chased her younger sister out of the Great Hall with shrieks and whoops of joy and Remus let out a large sigh.

"I feel like a bloody hurricane just ran through here," Sirius said, bewildered at the girls' boundless energy. James and Peter nodded as they quietly sipped their beverages and ate their food, not taking their eyes off the Ravenclaw visitor. Remus hoped they weren't reading his painful but romantic thoughts about her.

"I am so sorry for that," Marianne pleaded as she sat down in the empty seat next to him. "They can be a bit much sometimes." Remus blinked several times and tried to focus on her green eyes but his fever and attraction to her clouded his vision. His heightened senses picked up on her pulsating aura and it overwhelmed him. She was so pretty in the natural light. He felt his head slip to the side as his mouth went completely numb. He barely registered her concerned look but his heart began to race as she placed her hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes, reveling in her touch.

"You're burning up! We have to get you to the Hospital Wing."

"Trust me Marianne," James chuckled and Remus' senses allowed him to hear the nervous undertones in his voice, "he'll be fine. Besides, we always take care him! We know what to do."

"If you say so," the girl replied warily, ultimately trusting the Head Boy's response. Remus lazily panned his eyes from James to Marianne and watched her sigh deeply and reach into one of her pockets. She pulled out an expensive box of French chocolates and he perked up when he realized that she was the source of the earlier scent. Remus watched as the shiny black and pink box glistened in the morning light – or just in his imagination he wondered – and he subconsciously licked his lips. The prize was right in front of him and he had to stop himself from immediately reaching out and gobbling the contents.

"Go on. Take them. They're a gift for this weekend," she laughed quietly as she pushed the box towards him.

"Oh. Well my mother doesn't like chocolate," Remus smiled forcefully as he began to wring his hands under the table.

"They're not for your mother," she grinned as she stood up from the table. "They're for you!" As Remus watched her walk away, presumably to find her sisters, he popped a chocolate in his mouth, savored the taste and fully grinned for the first time in a week.

"Be _careful_ Wormtail!"

"I'm doing my best Padfoot!" Peter grumbled as he hoisted more of Remus' weight onto his shoulders. The werewolf moaned painfully at the sudden movement and Sirius wrapped a hand around his waist to steady him. Peter welcomed the boy's extra strength and tried to put his protesting muscles in the back of his mind as he carried Remus down the stairs.

In front of them, James cautiously cleared the way with the Map in one hand and his wand in the other. He peaked around the corner and when the coast was clear, motioned for them to follow. The Marauders then scurried as quickly as they could out of the castle towards the Whomping Willow. The full moon hid behind several clouds but as soon as they brought Remus outside, he started crying out in agony.

"He was so much better yesterday," Sirius muttered as he quickened their pace. Peter grunted as he flexed his muscles and lifted Remus a little higher in order to keep up. He heaved deeply as they sprinted down the hill. Due to the lack of visibility, he couldn't see where to put his feet in front of him and soon caught a rock with his left foot. The shift in balance brought the trio crashing down to the ground and Peter rolled several feet away into a bank of wet grass.

"He had chocolate, that's why," he grumbled again as he slowly stood up and brushed several chunks of plant mater from his black clothing. He failed to notice that Remus had started to convulse on the ground and then suddenly looked pale and limp. When Peter looked up, he saw James and Sirius hovering and joined them as they peered down at their friend carefully. When Remus remained silent, they looked at each other in confusion.

"What's going on? He's never done this before!"

"I don't kn-"

"_OAUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHH_!" Remus roared as his back snapped upwards off the ground. He collapsed and then started to writhe in anguish.

Peter's heart began to race in fear. Although he considered Remus to be one of his best friends, he still dreaded their activities during the full moon of every lunar cycle. Originally he had asked to be the one in charge of sneaking them out of the castle when he couldn't master his transformation into an animagus. Instead, Sirius and James had asked him to change his form from a lion to a rat. They explained that it would be easier for him to transform into something smaller because it would take less effort. At the time, he welcomed the advice and was extremely proud to have mastered advanced magic.

However, as the years progressed, he began to love and hate his role. He loved being the only one who could conquer the Whomping Willow but dreaded scurrying around the Shack in order to avoid Remus' costly swipes. He longed to be a large animal like Sirius or James. They could actually protect themselves instead of running and hiding.

"Shit! We can't stay here!"

"Go stop the Willow!" James screamed over Remus' piercing howls as he and Sirius lifted the werewolf onto their shoulders. Peter didn't need to be asked twice and he leaped into the air and transformed into a rodent. As he began to snake through the tall grass towards the terrible tree, his old feelings from the last time he transformed enveloped his thoughts. He couldn't stop smelling Luciana's spicy scent and although he had managed to avoid seeing or thinking about her for the entire week, his recent change brought back memories.

He suddenly stopped and sniffed the air longingly, hoping to catch a whiff of her alluring gravitational force. However, moments later when Remus began to wail even louder, he snapped out of reverie and sprinted towards the dangerously moving branches that were between him and the magical knot at the base of the tree.

He pushed thoughts of her out of his mind and focused on the task in front of him. The tree threw its limbs at him, trying to thwart his plan, but he expertly maneuvered around its attacks. Years of experience had sharpened his agility and he danced through the open bits of ground until he reached the base of the tree. After touching the knot with his tiny paws, the tree suddenly froze just as Sirius and James reached the base of the hill. Their grimacing faces turned into grins as they carried Remus towards the open hole next to Peter.

"Well done Wormtail!"

"What would we do without you? Now let's get him in into the shack before he starts to fully change!"

As Peter watched his friends enter the tunnel and then scurried after them, he couldn't help but smile at their praise. His old feelings regarding Luciana quickly died as he transformed back into his human self in order to keep up with his friends. Why did he need someone powerful like her when he had his friends that so desperately needed him?

* * *

Sirius let out a nasty growl as he looked Remus' werewolf form straight in the eyes. His blood trickled out of a large gash over his right eyebrow and he could taste the coppery flavor in his mouth. His muscles ached dreadfully but he tried to push his fatigue out of his mind.

They only had thirty minutes left of darkness. He had to continue, the whole ordeal would be over soon enough.

The wolf did not budge and continued to stand over James' limp body as he snapped his jaws loudly. Sirius dug his paws into the wood floor beneath him and stood his ground. He was the only thing between Remus and the exit to the outside world. James had tried to stop him from ripping the door off his hinges but the wolf had anticipated his moves and swiped his side violently. The Head Boy whimpered softly as he twitched and the wolf tilted his head back and let out a booming howl.

Sirius chose the moment to attack and launched himself at Remus. Although he hated hurting his best friend every full moon, he knew it was the only way to distract the wolf from exiting the shack and wandering through the woods. The boys had learned that lesson the hard way. When they first started helping Remus transform, the trio had underestimated his strength during the full moon. One night, the wolf easily beat them to a pulp and escaped after blowing through the door.

As he sailed through the air and attached his sharp claws to Remus' pelt, Sirius remembered how scared he'd been that night. Once they regained their strength, the rest of the Marauders spent hours looking for their friend. Sirius personally feared for the worst. When the sun finally rose, they found Remus curled up into a ball next to a stream deep in the Forbidden Forest. A small rabbit corpse was right beside him and his skin was covered with its blood. Although he hadn't killed any humans, Remus fell into a deep depression and the boys made a pact to never let him outside the Shack again. They didn't know what he was truly capable of and wanted to spare their best friend's fragile psyche.

The wolf soon wrestled Sirius to the ground and then kicked him forcefully. He yelped as he slammed into an old desk, breaking the legs in the process. When he skidded to a stop, the piece of furniture collapsed on him and crashed onto his lower back. He yapped loudly as the desk pinned his tail painfully against the ground. The pureblood desperately tried to free himself from the rubble but was still anchored by his captured tail. Sirius clawed at the desk and managed to bat away some of small splinters of wood when he noticed a shadow fall over him. He looked up to see Remus grinning maliciously.

His heart stopped. He knew the outcome of the situation would end in a lot of pain for him. The wolf snapped his jaws again but just as he began to reach out towards the large black dog in front of him, James rammed his antlers into his side, knocking him into one of the decaying walls. Remus howled as he quickly regained his balance and failed to notice that his weight had left a huge dent in the structure.

Sirius tried to help James as he and the wolf began to ram into each other as they climbed the stairs to the next level but failed to free himself from the rubble. He barked loudly in frustration to alert James of his plight and tried used his muzzle to push more of the desk away from him. His efforts were in vain. Sirius felt his muscles finally give way and he collapsed onto the ground in a huff. His brain continued to berate him but his body refused to move. He took several deep breaths, closed his eyes and whined mournfully.

Suddenly, he heard a female voice. It was soft and low but his canine senses heard it loud and clear. He couldn't be sure who was talking or where the voice was coming from but she kept calling for him to get up and fight. Her whispers grew louder and as her voice began to echo, Sirius realized it was Gemma's voice in his head. He knew her speech was a figment of his imagination but her words spurred him on. When he finally jiggled and kicked his legs, he stood up and forced the desk to flip backwards and off his tail. Sirius barked triumphantly and then sprinted up the stairs to continue the fight.

He failed to see Remus looming in the corner and when he reached the top of the stairs, instantly felt the air whoosh out of his lungs when the wolf whacked him with his large paws. Sirius felt his back legs give way and suddenly, he bounced and tumbled down the flight of stairs he had just climbed. His desperately tried to regain his balance but instead smacked his head against one of the walls. Sirius barely registered the rest of the fall due to the large black dots in his field of vision and blacked out completely by the time he hit the base of the stairs.

* * *

The Hospital Wing was eerily quiet as rays of sunshine began to filter through the windows. James sat in silence with a slight grimace on his face as he looked over his two best friends. Remus had several bandages around his arms but was mostly unharmed. Sirius, however, was much worse. The young Madame Pomphrey had tried to mend his wounds but the cut above his eyebrow proved to be difficult. Her skills were no match for the werewolf's sharp claws. She'd tearfully told them he was bound to have a scar and there was nothing she could do to erase the scratch mark from his beautiful face. James and Peter had snickered. The ladies wouldn't mind; the scar would only add to his roguish reputation.

As the Head Boy began to yawn, he noticed Sirius stirring in his bed. His concern soon turned into laughter when he realized the boy was having one of his puppy dreams. Sirius' legs twitched violently and he let out a small yap before finally waking up completely. James watched with a smile on his face as his friend adjusted to the bright morning daylight.

"Morning mate!"

"Where are we? How the fuck did I get all these?" Sirius asked quizzically as he scanned over his own body to survey the damage.

"Moony tricked you," James replied as he leaned back into his chair. "Again. And where do we always end up after the full moon?"

"Bastard," Sirius muttered and attempted to cross his arms over his chest in defiance. However, he underestimated his painful wounds and howled loudly when his bandages restricted his movement. James heard several things crash onto the floor and several seconds later, Madame Pomphrey thrust back the curtain and entered their private domain. She kneeled at Sirius' side and touched his head lightly with concern.

"How are you feeling dear?" she asked in a soothing voice.

"Oh just _fine_ now that you're here Poppy," Sirius charmed as he flashed her one of his patent, lady killing grins. "You always know how to patch me up." The nurse sighed deeply and patted his arm gently before standing up next to his bed.

"I'm afraid I couldn't this time," she frowned slightly as she smoothed the wrinkles out of her white uniform. "You're going to have a scar above your right eyebrow. I know Dumbledore assigned me to your cause since I'm just a trainee here and have extra time but I would understand if you wanted the Head Nurse to treat you from now on."

"No no no," Sirius cooed and James tried to hold in his laughter as he watched his best friend mesmerize the poor woman. "I don't want anyone else." Poppy blushed slightly and pushed back some of her white blonde hair behind her ear coyly.

"You boys are so brave to help your friend. Let me know when Remus wakes up," she murmured softly. James raised his eyebrows at Sirius when she turned their back to them and slowly pushed the curtains back to their original position.

"You string that poor woman on too much," he chuckled as he took his glasses off his face and rubbed them against the fabric of his white shirt. "I know you do it to keep her from asking too many questions about our involvement with Remus during the full moon but still, you're toying with her." He blinked a couple of times and inspected them the best he could before putting them back on his face.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Prongs," Sirius said, playfully rolling his eyes. "Where's Wormtail?"

"I sent him to the kitchens to get some chocolate for Moony," James replied as he kicked up his right foot and crossed it over his left leg. "He didn't get nearly as many injuries this time but I'm sure he'll be cross with himself when he wakes up and realizes what he did to you."

"What _did_ he do to me?"

"He led you upstairs and basically sucker punched you back down. You hit your head in the fall. I must say though, it was a bloody brilliant plan on his part. He's finally realized that it's better for him to take us on one at a time instead of together."

"Bastard," Sirius grumbled again.

"It's miracle he's only caught on now," James said, raising a brow playfully. "Imagine if he'd figured that out the first couple full moons. We would have been fucked!" He noticed that Sirius' face fell and stopped joking. "What's wrong mate?"

"_Everything_. Moony may have tactically won but I was distracted last night. Don't try to argue with me. You know it's true," Sirius began and then huffed audibly. "I kept thinking about all this random shit - like the full moon when Moony killed that rabbit and how this Lord Voldemort character is slowing starting to become a major thorn in my side … and the way Gemma's skin felt when I held her on Wednesday night. My brain was everywhere. I was overwhelmed and off my game. I made a lot of stupid mistakes."

"Sirius, I don't -"

"James," he interrupted and then looked out the window mournfully, "I deserved a smack to the head. I was so caught up and stressed out and it showed." He lowered his head in shame. "Merlin, I feel so lost."

"Well we're in the same boat then mate," James replied and sucked in a breath through his teeth shortly afterwards. He ran a hand through his messy black hair and looked down at the bandages around his torso and his extremely muddy shoes. Although he had promised Lily Evans he would keep his distance, he still felt depressed and downtrodden. He had chased her for years and even though she rejected him every time, he still persisted. It was a ritual. Now that she was off limits, he felt hollow, dizzy and off course.

He had tried to dive into his Head Boy duties to distract himself but they usually involved contact with Lily, which proved to be a problem. Quidditch was useless as well. All of his teammates groaned and moaned about his extremely time consuming practice schedule and he finally realized that he could not punish everyone else for his sexual frustration. Although he hated to admit it, he had been looking forward to the full moon just so he could let off some steam. It was something to occupy his worried brain. While the physical exertion sidetracked his terror, he couldn't help but feel guilty. The full moons were about Remus, not about him.

James looked up at Sirius and locked eyes with him. After several seconds, he began to smile. The smile turned into a grin and soon he found himself laughing.

"What's so funny?" Sirius asked, raising a brow quizzically.

"We may be lost at sea," James choked out between gasps of air, "but I wouldn't want to be stuck with anyone else." As he calmed himself, he took several more breaths and straightened his glasses, noticing that Sirius was smiling as well. "We're doing things differently this year. All of us are. But at least we have each other, you know? We are the Marauders. Nothing can break us. Not even women."

"What did that famous muggle once write? All for one, one for all?"

"_Please_ don't kill me!" Peter squeaked as he thrust back the curtain and closed it hastily after he entered their private corner of the Wing. "I went to the kitchens to get the chocolate … but it looked so good! I had to have some. I tried to save most of it for Moony but the house elves gave me caramel and sea salt ones! They are my favorite!" He held out the half eaten box and wiped some of the chocolate from his face.

"Well it's good to know some things haven't changed," James laughed and then reached out towards Peter. "Give us one of those, would you? If you had some, I want some too." He popped several chocolates in his mouth and savored their taste as he leaned back into his chair. He felt a wave of relief wash over him and figured out exactly why Remus demanded the dessert at all times. Chocolate, James decided, was good for the soul.

**Author's Note**: Damn, that was a long chapter. I'm not 100% happy with it but whatever. If I didn't post it, I would have sat around for a couple more days and nitpicked it.

For all my European readers, the box of chocolates Marianne gives Remus is supposed to be from Fauchon, the French gourmet food company. I swear to god they make THE BEST chocolate.

So as you can see, I'm going to cycle between points of view and then converge them together before switching to another set of points of view. That's right – the next cycle will be in the girls' perspective. I know these first couple chapters have been really detailed but now you know what the boys will be thinking when they interact with their lady friends in the next couple chapters. I was originally going to stick with the Marauders all the way but felt that some of the plot lines would be unclear if I didn't explain it from other POVs.

The next chapter will be centered on Gemma. Hopefully I'll have it up in a week maximum!


	7. Black Dog

**Disclaimer**: While I try to make this story as canon/authentic as possible, I used some artistic license in this chapter. I researched how the 'First Wizarding War' played out (thank you HP Lexicon) but since the Harry Potter books are mostly about the 'Second Wizarding War', there are some gaps in the timeline. I don't know if Voldemort was actually a fascist (if you don't know what I'm talking about, I suggest you look up 'fascism' on Wikipedia before reading this chapter) but since I'm a Political Science major, I couldn't help but compare the whole situation to the World Wars in Europe in the 20th century. If you think I'm totally out of line, please let me know in a review. I live and breathe European politics and love a good debate :)

* * *

"_I gotta roll, can't stand still. Got a flaming heart, can't get my fill. Eyes that shine burning red, dreams of you all through my head_." – Led Zeppelin, 1971

* * *

Gemma Rawnsley placed her cigarette between her lips and took a long, hard drag. The smoke filled her lungs and after several seconds, she exhaled shakily and finally felt calm. She didn't normally sprint out of the Great Hall without anyone noticing but the Daily Prophet's morning cover had sent her into a tailspin. Authorities had found thirteen murdered muggles several Underground stations away from her parents' music hall. Her left eye started twitching and she quickly inhaled again. Gemma knew her Mom and Dad encouraged mixed audiences, which worried her.

Were these new followers of 'Lord Voldemort' starting to target the family business just because they were more tolerant and accepting of muggles? She couldn't be sure.

The blonde took another pull from her cigarette and abruptly sat down on one of the stone benches in the main outdoor courtyard. She quickly finished the rest of her cigarette, trying to fight off the chilly October air, and started chain smoking when she lit another off the end of her first.

"Bloody _hell _Rawnsley!" her best friend Giovanni Costra exclaimed when he finally skidded to a stop. He took several deep breaths and then reached into his pocket to pull out his own packet of cigarettes. He placed one in his mouth and lit the end of it with his wand. Gemma cowered slightly as he exhaled. "You can't scare me like that!"

"I didn't _mean_ to," she retorted softly before taking another drag herself.

"Well give us some warning before you bolt next time, eh? You were like a fucking ninja. You were there and then suddenly you weren't," Gio snorted as he slowly sat down next to her. He took another lazy inhale and then placed a hand on her knee to comfort her. "Today's headline shocked all of us, you know. You're not alone. You're like family to the band and me. You don't have to run away every time something goes wrong."

"Thanks Gio," she muttered as she squeezed his hand. They smiled at each other lightly and then put their cigarettes back in their mouths. Although they had never been romantically involved, Gemma knew she would always have a connection with the Italian seventh year. He was the first child to show up on their doorstep and immediately began to treat Gemma like a sister when her parents started to house him every night. Since his parents kicked him out when he was fifteen, Gio wanted nothing more than to be a normal teenager and Gemma knew her family and the band gave him the sense of stability he craved.

However, Gio gave her stability as well. He was the only one who seemed to understand the burden her Seer abilities placed on her. Most people thought she was crazy and a wandering spirit reminiscent of the 1960s but not Gio. He treated her like a younger sister. Gemma appreciated the way he let her practice her tarot card readings on him, tried to find her the newest Divination novels to educate her and sat up late into the night to keep her company as she tried to read the stars. Although the Hufflepuffs were good friends with the rest of the band, they often talked about their hopes, dreams and worries over cigarettes and leaned on each other for support.

"And believe me, no one hates this 'Voldemort' bloke more than I do. Why do you think most of my family left Italy during the first muggle World War? I'll tell you: fascism."

"I don't think he's exactly a fascist Gio," Gemma chuckled, not surprised that the boy was spouting off about politics. "He's not telling everyone that England is the best country in the world, although he does spout that purebloods are racially superior to everyone else."

"Well no, he's not England's biggest fan per say," Gio responded with an eye roll, "but he is hyper nationalistic about purebloods. He may not think the United Kingdom is the greatest society on earth but he sure thinks that about the wizarding world. He wants us to return to our former glory and honor."

"Merlin, did he ever take History of Magic? No one wants to go back to the Middle Ages. Life _sucked_ back then," Gemma snorted.

"Exactly. But after the Middle Ages and all the witch-hunts, we went into hiding to preserve our numbers. We even switched our government from the Wizard's Council to the Ministry of Magic. But you see in _his_ eyes, we let the muggles win. Even though the Ministry is completely corrupt and draconian, it's not enough. He wants a violent upheaval and he wants it now," Gio said with severity as he placed his cigarette between his lips. He paused, took a drag and then continued as he began to exhale.

"He wants all the power to be in the Ministry's hands, with him at the controls. _That's_ why he has so many spies there. This 'Lord Voldemort' is building an army Gemma, mark my words. He's starting to use his so-called 'Death Eaters' to carry out his will but he's got bigger plans. He wants to take over the Ministry and then take over all of Europe. And he wants all the muggles to die."

"So much for my cheerful morning," Gemma muttered.

"Oh come on, you can't be ignorant about what's going on," Gio replied as he tapped the end of his cigarette to the side.

"Watch me."

"I know you don't mean that. You're choosing to be ignorant because you want to be. I know you're a Seer and you can read people like an open book but you seem to have forgotten that I've known you for a very long time. You _always_ know what's going on so you can prepare. When the chips are down, you pack up and leave," he finally said before taking another inhale. "You're a gipsy soul. I get that. All I'm saying is that you better not skip out on us when push comes to shove. You may be the best at hide and seek, but we will find you whether you like it or not. Just accept it."

He laughed and ruffled her hair playfully. Her grimace turned into a smile and she shoved him back. They jostled, laughed for several minutes and then finally calmed down as they both finished their cigarettes. Gio turned to reach into his pocket when Gemma stopped him. She pulled out two small bags and rolling papers from her patchwork sack. Using the stone bench as a flat surface, the Hufflepuff rolled the tobacco and dried gillyweed into a spliff and handed it to Gio.

"You think we'll get caught?" she asked with a grin.

"It's seven in the bloody morning," he replied before putting it between his lips. "No one in their right mind would be out here patrolling." They both giggled and began to pass the spliff back and forth between them. Gemma felt her headache start to slowly fade away as the gillyweed began to have its desired effect. She tried not to smoke this early in the morning because it always made her extremely tired in the afternoon but she hadn't slept a wink the night before. She was on edge and convinced herself that she was not waking and baking because she'd never actually gone to bed. Her dreams had been too intense for her to sleep.

The Hufflepuff tapped the spliff off towards the side and then put it back in her mouth. As she inhaled, she tried not to think of the visions of a certain Gryffindor that had danced through in her head. Suddenly, she felt dizzy and sick to her stomach so she handed the spliff back to Gio.

"Here, take it. I don't want anymore."

"Gemma," Gio warned as he accepted the object, "you never turn down a smoke. Something's up and if you don't tell me, I won't bring you anymore gillyweed."

"Well if you're going to threaten me that way," she sighed as she reached out and took the mixed cigarette from his hands, "I guess I don't have a choice." She inhaled and then sucked up her exhale from her mouth into her nose. After expelling a large stream of smoke, she handed the object back to him. "I've been having some bad dreams lately. I can't sleep."

"What's in your dreams?"

"The question isn't _what_, it's _who_," the blonde answered softly.

"Spill," Gio said as he handed the spliff back to her. She smiled at him appreciatively before letting the smoky mixture fill her lungs.

"Every night I have these visions and they are always different versions of the same theme," Gemma began as she began to pick at her baggy yellow sweater. "I'm stuck in some foreign place and then I see this large black dog. He's not a cute, cuddly dog though. He's mean and he's menacing. He scares me. I start to run away, usually into another foreign world entirely, but he keeps following me. As hard as I try, I can never get away from him." The girl then took another drag of the spliff and brushed the bits of fabric she'd nervously severed from her uniform towards the ground.

"I obviously know who the dog is. He's Sirius. I just don't get why I'm scared of him. He's never done anything nasty towards me. In fact, he's been nothing but a gentleman since we met at that party for James about a month ago. We shag and then leave. That's it." Gio began to chuckle softly and when she raised an eyebrow at him, his laughter grew in volume. He grabbed the spliff from her hands and then inhaled while slapping his knee.

"You may be a Seer but you sure _suck_ at seeing what's directly in front of you," he finally coughed out as he exhaled. "You've never been able to read your own future clearly so I'm going to do it for you this time. You fancy him and you're fighting it."

"_Excuse_ me?"

"You're running away from the dog in your dreams because you're running away from Sirius in real life," Gio responded as he plucked the spliff from her fingers before she put it to her mouth. She scowled at his words and actions. "Have you ever tried turning around and petting the animal chasing you? No? That's what I thought. You're too scared to accept that you finally fancy someone and he could actually make you happy."

"Me? Happy? With _Sirius Black_?" Gemma guffawed when he handed the spliff back to her. She jokingly inspected it before taking a puff and exhaling. "Are we smoking the same thing here? He wants me for my sexuality, not my personality. That boy shags more girls than anyone at this school."

"Not lately," Gio responded with a singsong voice.

"Giovanni Costa," Gemma warned, "you better not be taking the piss."

"I'm not. He doesn't have eyes for anyone else but you love," the boy said as he put an arm around her shoulders. She knotted her eyebrows in annoyance as he squeezed her tightly. "Many girls have tried to tempt him but he isn't wavering. He's only been shagging you for the past month."

She shrugged her shoulders, releasing herself from Gio's half hug, and then straightened out her long hair as she processed the new information. While she hadn't been with anyone else, she had expected Sirius to see other girls. With his aristocratic, debonair looks, he was born to play the field. Their relationship was _supposed_to be unattached and infrequent. Instead, Gemma realized that both of them were getting in over their heads. She couldn't stop dreaming about their connection and apparently he couldn't either.

"How did I let it get this far? What the fuck do I do now?" she groaned as she buried her face in her hands.

"Live a little!" Gio answered as he slapped her lightly on the back. She dropped her hands and looked up at him quizzically. He grinned in response. "So you fancy him. Why does that have to be a bad thing? For Merlin's sake, you've got Sirius Black, one of Hogwarts' most sought after blokes, on a leash. That boy is head over heels for you and you're too scared to admit you feel an attraction towards him. I know he makes you happy. He's even got you bloody singing again! Do you know how long it's been since I've heard you use your pipes? Ages."

Gemma took a deep breath, realizing that he was completely right, and sighed painfully as she tried to pass the spliff back to him. He looked at the dwindling roll and waved his hands in front of him.

"No, I'm done with that. You need it more than I do. Now I have to go eat something or my stomach is going to eat its own lining. I'll see you back at the Hufflepuff table when you finish."

"Suit yourself," Gemma muttered in response and then put the spliff back into her mouth. As she took a very large puff, she waved to Gio as he walked back into the castle. The sound of his footsteps faded and Gemma was alone once again. She tried to block her friend's words out of her head but she couldn't help but question her flighty thoughts. Why was she so scared to be emotionally intimate with Sirius? She shared everything with Gio and they got along perfectly well.

A small gust of wind blew across her and she squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to fight off the cold. When the burst of weather subsided, she took another drag, watched the smoke swirl upwards and realized that Sirius Black scared her because he was unpredictable. Gio offered her stability while Sirius presented the exact opposite.

As the Hufflepuff had pointed out, she'd never been able to read her own future very well; her emotions always got in the way. Yet, she knew that there was something more than their uncertain future together that propelled her away from Sirius after their brief affairs in random places. She never approached him and always reasoned that he only seeked her out because he wanted to have sex, nothing more. That's what males like him did.

However, he didn't fit her stereotypical mold. Sirius liked to show up out of nowhere and playfully pull her into a broom cupboard, wink to her from across the Great Hall and even surprise her with a red rose just because it was Monday. She'd never met anyone like him before. Every time they met, Gemma couldn't help but feel an intense connection between them and up until now, she refused to acknowledge its implications. However, Gio's prodding ripped apart her excuses. Her feelings were raw and out in the open and she immediately felt the extreme urge to run. She quickly smashed out the burning object under her black flats and poised herself to bolt when she heard footsteps.

"Gemma!"

She turned around to see Sirius standing several yards away from her at the entrance of the courtyard. The breeze softly pushed several stands of his long black hair into his face and he shoved them away as he jogged over towards her.

"I saw your friends in the Great Hall but I didn't see you. Gio said you'd be out here. Can I bum a cigarette?"

His loaded question hung in the air as she gazed into his bright grey eyes. The air whooshed out of her lungs and she felt dumbfounded. She hadn't seen him in a week and all of her emotion frustration immediately transformed into sexual desire. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her. Her actions caught him off guard but he soon yielded to her when she began to kiss him hungrily. Gemma let her hands run through his locks as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"There's an abandoned classroom on the ground floor not far from here," she said breathlessly as his lips grazed the soft skin on her neck. "Take me there. _Now_." He grinned wolfishly, quickly picked her up and carried her back into the castle. Her fears melted away as she began to giggle incessantly as they roamed the halls to look for a private spot. When they finally found their makeshift paradise, Sirius placed Gemma on one the old desks and began to delicately kiss her neck again as his hands roamed under her sweater. She tipped back her head and moaned appreciatively.

The Hufflepuff decided to take Gio's advice and lived a little before her first class of the day. As the pair began to put their school uniforms back on, she tried to squash her feelings as she saw Sirius humming and grinning like a madman.

"Stupid Gio," she muttered to herself as she pulled on one of her white socks. "He just _had_ to fuck with me today."

"What's that dear?" Sirius asked, raising one of his brows as he began to tighten his red Gryffindor tie.

"Nothing," Gemma responded softly and he kneeled down beside a desk to tie his shoes. Gemma felt the earlier dizziness return and grasped onto the desk beside her. Sirius didn't notice her slip and instead focused his attention to his other shoe. She took the opportunity to silently sneak out the door and reasoned that Gio's insight didn't change anything. Her relationship with Sirius was purely sexual and nothing more - at least that's what she kept telling herself as she nervously lit up another cigarette.

* * *

**Author's note**: So a lot of important information in this chapter even though not much happened! Gemma is a Seer, Voldy's on the warpath, and Sirius is becoming a one-woman man. Will Gemma's abilities predict her future – or someone else's? Stay tuned kids.

Any favorite quotes in the story so far? Do you like the POV change? I'm making this story a bit of a round robin so the next chapter will be centered on Aeryn.

I was able to write this chapter really quickly because Gemma is my favorite character and I had a lot of time on my hands. I'm going to be busy until Monday so expect a relatively longer wait until the next chapter.


	8. Lazy Lightning

"_Lazy lightning, I'd like to find the proper potion that's gonna capture your emotion. You're right beside me but I, I can't get through_." – Grateful Dead, 1976

* * *

Aeryn Miller covered her ears and squealed as James Potter and the seventh year Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Walter Davies, rocketed past her. She waved her Gryffindor flag enthusiastically and then turned to her right to smile at her boyfriend. Peter gave her a small smile in return, put his arm around her waist and held her closer. She beamed triumphantly as the players zipped and zoomed across the pitch towards the Ravenclaw goals.

"And Potter shoots! HE SCORES! 10-0 GRYFFINDOR!" Frank Longbottom boomed across the Hogwarts Quidditch stadium. James victoriously high fived Sirius, who quickly whizzed to the right to hit a passing bludger, and saluted the crowd as he returned to his post next to the opposing goal. The red and gold section burst into applause and whistled for their team captain and the Ravenclaw students booed when Sirius knocked a bludger dangerously close to their seeker. The first match of the season was already living up to its hype.

Aeryn felt excitement bubble up from inside her and she let out a squeaky shriek of joy that pierced above her housemates' cheers. It hung in the air and she saw Remus cringe slightly next to her. As the crowd buzzed with excitement around her, she giggled and reached up to place a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell in your ear!" she apologized over the roar of the Gryffindor section as James scored another goal. However, she soon frowned when he placed his hands over his chest and grumbled something inaudible.

Did he hear her? Was he even paying attention to the game?

She knitted her brows and poked him in the side. He physically jumped several inches into the air, clearly unaware of her attempts to get his attention, and shook his head rapidly as if he was trying to clear his head. Aeryn gazed up at him dumbly, not sure what to make of her boyfriend's best friend. He slyly glanced at the Ravenclaw section, thinking that no one was watching him, and let out a huge sigh. She tried to follow his gaze to try and see whom he was looking for but failed to observe anything due to Miranda Fletcher's short crop of red hair in front of her. With a huff, she turned back to Remus to find that he was still not paying attention to her.

"And Davies shoots! BLOCKED!"

As the rest of the Gryffindors began to spell their house name letter by letter in triumph, Aeryn decided to leave Remus in his own little world and turned back to her boyfriend. Much to her dismay, he too had his attention elsewhere and barely noticed when she grinned at him enthusiastically. Instead of giving her the love she so desperately wanted, he stood up on his toes and hopped back and forth in order to scan more of the silver and green crowd to his right.

Who was he searching for?

His eyebrows were raised and hopeful while hers were once again knitted in concern when Miranda's flaming hair blocked her line of sight. As the two boys used their height to their advantage, she puffed audibly and crossed her hands over her chest. She hated being so short.

"Bigsby shoots and SCORES! 30 – 0 GRYFFINDOR! Ball goes to – OH WHAT A STEAL BY POTTER! He's got the quaffle through the Ravenclaw hoop _again_! 40 – 0 GRYFFINDOR! Wow, James is having an excellent day already."

"Oh Peter, do you think we'll win?" Aeryn squealed dramatically as she tugged on his red and gold striped house scarf in excitement. Her action jerked him towards her and he whipped his head around from the frowning Slytherins to the cheering Gryffindors. The boy then glanced over at Remus, still not answering her question as the Slytherins applauded James' blocked shot. When he confirmed that his friend was not watching him, he sighed and Aeryn felt temporarily speechless.

Why was he ignoring her as well when he'd been incessantly showering her with affection for the past month? Where was his agitation coming from? She was getting antsy and didn't like his wandering gaze. As his eyes finally settled on her, she noticed his muddy brown irises melt to his normal warm shade of chocolate. However, she had little time to contemplate his sudden change in mood because he immediately planted a kiss on her lips lovingly.

While she recognized that the kiss was blatant attempt to regain her favor, Aeryn still enjoyed it. After a year of dating without having sex, he knew exactly how to kiss her the way she liked it and she thanked her lucky stars she'd found such a gentleman who respected her wishes. At first, she wasn't sure if their relationship would work – after all, the Marauders had quite the reputation for being rebellious and untrustworthy – but it was his notoriety that initially drew Aeryn towards him. He'd sent her an origami lotus shaped note during the last Potions class of the term and even though his friends had made fun of him for doing so, she remembered blushing a deep shade of red. No boy had ever passed her a love note and now one of the famous Marauders was trying to court her in front of everyone!

After his romantic gesture, Aeryn couldn't help but have a soft spot for Peter. In her eyes, he was the only Marauder who seemed genuine and worth knowing. He didn't flaunt his looks like Sirius or Quidditch moves like James and actually spent time out of the library, unlike Remus. Therefore, she encouraged his advances and they continued to keep in contact during the summer. Instead of thrusting them apart, their distance added to the excitement of the chase. When they returned to Hogwarts for their sixth year, he'd asked her out and eagerly kissed her, just as he was doing now. Aeryn swooned publically and giggled loudly as Peter snaked an arm around her waist and dipped her gaudily.

"Oh Peter!"

"Would you two just get a bloody room already?" Miranda scoffed and when Peter brought her back up to her standing position, Aeryn's eyes narrowed. The redhead had already spoiled her view earlier and her nasty comment only fueled the fire. She immediately placed her hands on her hips as the rest of the Gryffindors cheered for their team as the score began to climb in their favor. Miranda raised her eyebrows as if to say 'Yeah, I just said that, what are you going to do about it?'

"No one is _making_ you stand there," Aeryn replied nastily.

"I wish I could say the same to you," Miranda smirked icily as she turned her back to the game and stared fully at the short, Irish girl behind her, "but we all know you have no friends anymore. You _have_ to stand here. You have nowhere else to go!"

Aeryn let a shocked squeak and her hands flew to her chest. Even though Peter placed a hand around her waist to calm her, she still felt extremely hurt because although she hated to admit it, she knew the girl's words were completely true. When she and Peter had started dating, she was so obsessed with their budding relationship that she unintentionally alienated all of her friends. At first, they feigned interest when she said she was dating a Marauder and listened to her squeals of joy but after a month or two, she noticed that they stopped asking about her life during classes or mealtimes.

As she began to plan her entire life around her Marauder boyfriend, they began to slowly drift away from her. They no longer invited her to girls' nights or gossip sessions. While Aeryn still remained friendly with her dorm mates, she ultimately pledged her loyalty to Peter. He was her everything, which is why she had no room to deeply care about any of the other females in her year. While she didn't mind her current situation, Miranda's barb still upset her. Her eyes began to water slightly as her mouth dropped completely open in distress.

"Shove off Fletcher," Remus butted in with menacing growl. "Just because Sirius is ignoring you doesn't mean you have the right to be such a _bitch_." Miranda narrowed her eyes at the sandy haired Gryffindor and when he did the same, she ultimately realized she wasn't going to win the fight. No one messed with Remus Lupin when he was in an angry mood. Aeryn smirked when Miranda huffed and turned back to watch Geoffrey Wood block another one of the Ravenclaw's shots. As the rest of the crowd cheered for their keeper, Aeryn stuck her tongue out at the back of her head.

"Potter's got the quaffle, passes to Bigsby – they're doing the whirling windmill technique! What skill, Brown doesn't stand a chance! 70-20 GRYFFINDOR!"

In a fit of rage, one of the Ravenclaw beaters launched a bludger towards James and it grazed the side of his left arm as he sped down the pitch. Aeryn yelped and placed her hands over her eyes while the rest of the crowd collectively gasped. A couple of seconds later, she spread her fingers and peeked to see that James was still upright on his broom. The ball had torn part of his Quidditch uniform off and some of his skin as well but he was still able to play despite his bloody limb. He bellowed in pain, ripped off the entire sleeve of his robes and continued to pass back and forth to his teammates.

In retaliation, Sirius expertly aimed one of the bludgers at the Ravenclaw seeker, who immediately pulled up and lost sight of the snitch. As James passed over the Gryffindor section to catch up with the rest of the chasers, Aeryn heard him scream to his seeker to find the snitch as quickly as possible.

"I hope James is alright," Aeryn said softly, fearing her doubts would curse the situation.

"Oh he'll be fine dear," Peter said with a grin on his face. "He lives for these kinds of moments. If he and Evans were on my friendly terms, he'd use the injury to ask her out again. She'd say no of course, but he'd still try. That's James Potter for you."

"And Hill passes to Bigsby who passes to – _MERLIN_ POTTER MADE THAT SHOT FROM 20 YARDS OUT! How did he bloody - "

"_Language_ Mister Longbottom!"

"See," Peter said with a smirk, "I told you James would be fine."

As the game progressed, Aeryn couldn't believe the Gryffindor captain's tenacity. His injury barely hindered him and as he continued to pour blood, he scored more goals than the entire Ravenclaw team combined. They were no match for his newly found motivation and he tore up the competition as he zipped up and down the pitch. This was a new James Potter and the Gryffindors loved it. His energy invigorated his fellow chasers Josephine Hill and Charles Bigsby and soon, they molded together to become an unstoppable force.

Their many years training together finally clicked and all three of the seventh years played the game of their life. They executed each move with precision and grace and Aeryn barely had time to catch her breath as one great play developed into an even greater one. She could feel her vocal chords straining but didn't care. Even though she really knew nothing about Quidditch, she supported her team as loudly as she could.

"AND THE SEEKERS START TO DIVE FOR THE SNITCH!" Frank boomed and immediately all eyes were on the two players as they swept around the right side of the stadium. Despite her small form, Usha Patil forcefully elbowed Benjamin Girgish in the side and Aeryn felt the excitement rush through her veins as they both reached out for the small ball in front of them. The anticipation proved to be too much and she immediately put her hands over her eyes. She couldn't watch.

"Girgish looks like he may – WHAT A GRAB BY THE LITTLE PATIL! SHE'S GOT THE SNITCH! SHE'S GOT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS 500-90! That's the most points scored in an opening game in Gryffindor HISTORY!"

Immediately, the Gryffindor section burst into pandemonium. Aeryn jumped up and down so forcefully that she almost lost her balance as the students jostled out of their rows and onto the field. Assuming that Peter and Remus would be right behind her, she finally let the flow of people move her forwards and tried not to get trampled. Most of the other students towered over her and she began to feel claustrophobic as the Gryffindors jumped out of the stands onto the pitch below. She didn't have time to react or look around for her boyfriend; she had to leap downwards or pay the price.

As the students behind her hurried to congratulate their victorious housemates, someone's elbow knocked into her back and threw her towards the ground. Her blonde curls hit the dirt violently and she cried out in pain as she rolled away from the frenzy. After spitting out several blades of grass from her mouth, she ran her fingers through her hair and took in her surroundings. The crowd had gathered around the Gryffindor Quidditch team and several older students had hoisted James up into the air. He laughed joyously, totally forgetting his earlier injury, and smiled broadly when he caught her gaze. He motioned to be let down and grabbed Sirius as he made his way over to her.

"Aeryn! Where are the rest of the guys?"

"I don't know!" Aeryn wined, trying to blink back tears as she threw her hands in the air. "I just got pushed! And my head _hurts_!" Several seconds after the words came out of her mouth, she gasped and placed her hand over her lips. "Oh James, I am so sorry! I shouldn't be complaining. You're the one with the real injury!"

"Oh," James said as he scanned his left arm, "this thing? It's not so bad." He tried moving his left limb to prove to her that it didn't hurt but Aeryn saw him grimace once he returned it to his side.

"_Merlin_ Prongs, I don't know how you did it," Sirius said incredulously. "You can barely lift your arm and yet you played out of your skull today. What a _fucking_ game! I'm going to remember it until I die. Next time you decide to slip something into your pumpkin juice, I'd appreciate it if you shared."

"I didn't drink anything special this morning, honest. I was playing normally and then bam! That bludger ripped my skin off!"

"Ewwwww," Aeryn interjected.

"It fucking hurt like _hell_ too. I just kept playing my hardest to fight off the pain. Well I just told myself I had to fight in general. It worked pretty well, didn't it?"

"Well if you're telling the truth, that nasty wound is going to start throbbing soon when you run out of endorphins," Sirius chuckled as he ripped off the sleeve of his own uniform and gave it to James. The Head Boy smiled appreciatively and made the fabric into a makeshift sling. Aeryn suddenly heard a joyous shout from behind her and whipped around to see Peter running towards her with Remus in tow. She beamed and opened her arms to hug him but he raced past her towards his friends. As he congratulated the participating Marauders with vigorous slaps on the back, Aeryn couldn't help but notice there was something different about him.

His eyes were wild and chaotic. His movements were strong and robust.

"_Ehem_," she coughed and he finally turned his attention towards her. With a maniacal grin, he picked her up off the ground and twirled her around. She wasn't used to this type of behavior from Peter but squealed nonetheless. His affections had grown exponentially in the past month and she figured this was just an extension of his happiness with their relationship. Besides, he had a right to be extremely happy. It wasn't everyday that the Quidditch squad broke Gryffindor records.

"We won! We won! What a fucking _game_!" he proclaimed in a singsong voice when he finally put her back on the ground. His arms never left her sides and he dipped her downwards again as he kissed her. As happy as she was, Aeryn couldn't quite pigeonhole his newly found energy. She knew he was a large Quidditch fan but she realized she had never seen this happy about an outcome before. His hands began to wander and he forcefully stuck his tongue in her mouth. She protested softly but his hands clamped down on her shoulders. He kissed her vehemently as if his life depended on it. Aeryn squeaked and when she finally was able to get her hands on his chest, pushed him backwards. He stumbled slightly and when he regained his balance, she saw his unusual eye color again.

"Peter what is _wrong_ with you?"

"Huh?" he finally replied, shaking his head back and forth to clear his mind. His normal chocolate hue flooded his irises and his facial expression softened. He placed his hands on her shoulders lightly and hung his head slightly. "I'm sorry, I got a little caught up there. The game – it was just so exciting!" He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and she smiled, forgiving him easily. As they intertwined their fingers and held hands, they followed the rest of the Marauders as they whopped and hollered loudly that there were many bottles of firewhiskey to be consumed. Peter squeezed her hand reassuringly and Aeryn gazed up at him dreamily.

In her eyes, nothing could keep them apart. Not even his strange mood.

* * *

**Author's note**: Ugh, writing this chapter was like pulling teeth. I had a very big midterm this week and some writers' block. Maybe I just don't like Aeryn? I dunno. I'm glad I found a good song lyric for this chapter tho – I was having trouble finding something that applied. Although I have a large 1970s music collection, finding lyrics for 35 total chapters was tough.

I've got a lot of work due next week so I won't be able to write the next chapter until Friday. Look for Marianne's chapter sometime next weekend!


	9. Wish You Were Here

**Disclaimer**: I made up Mairead Thatcher but I based her story on Nell Gwyn, the mistress of Charles II.

I'm trying to be as canon as possible here … so I'm assuming that Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix and Andromeda Black and Rodolphus Lestrange have graduated at this point in time. However, I do want to use some canon Death Eaters in this story so I'm choosing to make Rabastan Lestrange, Narcissa Black and Thorfinn Rowle seventh years even though they are older than Sirius.

Also, I'm not sure if I made this clear or not but Marianne's mostly English except for her grandfather on her father's side and her mother. They are both fully French.

"_We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl year after year, running over the same old ground. What have we found?_" – Pink Floyd, 1975

"But _Marianne_," Nanette whined as she pulled on her sister's black uniform skirt, "I want to hear the story about Madame Thatcher again! Won't you tell it? Please?"

"If she heard you calling her Madame, she'd probably laugh at you," Marianne chuckled as she scooted over on the Ravenclaw bench. "She'd prefer you to call her Maire!" Her younger sister squealed in delight and sat down next to her. The other Ravenclaws around them smiled politely as they got up from their table in the Great Hall and made their way back to their common room. Most students had finished their dinner and began doing the same. Nanette, however, never broke eye contact with her sister as she poured herself a fresh glass of pumpkin juice.

"Well go on! Tell me!"

"Alright, alright!" Marianne laughed as she ruffled her youngest sister's hair. "As you already know, there aren't many details about Mairead Thatcher's birth. Legend suggests that she grew up just off Drury Lane in London."

"The same street where that muggle Muffin Man lives?"

"Yes, the very same. After the large muggle civil war in 1651, Mairead became an orange girl at one of the local wizarding playhouses, selling fruit and sweetmeats to the audiences during the acts. However, her magical abilities soon vaulted her onstage and she became one of the first female illusionists. She became the Queen of Fantasy – her visual tricks charmed audiences from all over London. Her confidence even enchanted the great wizard Keredwel Rincewind. She became his mistress and kept his interest over the years because she never pretended to be someone she wasn't. She was Maire Thatcher from Drury Lane until the day she died."

"So she's kind of like … what's her name? Oh, shoot. I should know this! Umm, ummm … She's – she's like Cinderella! The girl in that muggle fairy tale!"

"Well I wouldn't say she's _exactly_ - "

"What your sister is trying to say," Remus Lupin interjected above them, "is that you should always pursue your dreams and never discriminate against people just because of their background." Nanette beamed up at the Gryffindor and he smiled over her head towards Marianne. The Ravenclaw grinned back, thankful that Remus had saved her from going into more detail.

"Oh what's this? My head feels _extremely_ heavy. There must be something stuck my ear!" He placed his fingers in his left ear and mimed plucking something out of it. With an excellent magician's slight of hand, he magically conjured an orange that rolled off his shoulder, down his arm and into her lap. The little Hufflepuff squealed in delight.

"Do it again! Do it again!"

"_Nanette_," Marianne warned.

"It's alright," Remus laughed. He propped his knee up against the Ravenclaw bench and leaned down towards the small girl. His hand snaked around her shoulders and plucked a single white rose out of thin air. Nanette's eyes almost popped out of her skull in awe and she giggled when he placed the flower in her tiny hands.

"I like him," she said matter of factly as she turned towards her sister. "Why isn't he around you more often?"

"Because he has other friends Nanette," Marianne said rolling her eyes playfully. Her sister was still so young and naïve. "Now off you go. I'm sure you have homework to do." Nanette frowned and her lower lip quivered dramatically but the seventh year didn't budge. "Your puppy dog eyes aren't going to save you this time. I want that homework done on time!" She groaned and Marianne quickly kissed her younger sister's cheek lovingly. "Say thank you to Remus and then run along to the Hufflepuff common room. Your friends are waiting."

"Thank you Mr. Lupin!" the Hufflepuff said gleefully as she twirled her flower with her fingers. "And you better be back here tomorrow! I want to see more!" Marianne snickered softly behind her hands as she watched her sister joyfully skip out of the Great Hall, her new present tucked behind her right ear. The Ravenclaw sighed and remembered when her youngest sibling had been placed under the Sorting Hat. Its choice didn't surprise her in the slightest – Nanette was a bubbly, blissful girl who only cared about animals and nature. She was a perfect Hufflepuff.

Although Marianne loved both her sisters, the small girl always tugged at her heartstrings. She was so young and fragile compared to her other sister Gabrielle, who was more of a stubborn genius. Nanette required much more attention and care and Marianne feared she wouldn't be able to shield her from the darkness brewing on the horizon. Pushing her familial responsibilities out of her mind, she turned to Remus, who was busy watching Nanette prance gracefully.

"Thank you for saving me there," she chuckled. "I always feel like I'm walking on eggshells when I tell that story." She ran a hand through her cropped hair. "Nanette always loves hearing about romances. It doesn't matter if the characters are muggles or wizards, she will still beg me to tell them to her over and over again. I love teaching her to love everything, reach for the stars and be tolerant of others but at the same time, I don't have the heart to tell her what a mistress is. I tried to leave that detail out when I first told her but she corrected me after she took a trip to the library. I told her being a mistress was like being a very good friend with a man and thank Merlin she believed me."

"She's young," Remus replied with a grin. "She doesn't need to know the truth just yet."

"I know," Marianne agreed, "but I'm still biting my fingernails every time there's another attack against muggles. She's – she's just so little and innocent! She doesn't know how cruel the world can be." She crossed her arms over her chest and let out a frustrated huff, which slightly tousled some of her dark brown hair. Remus laughed softly next to her and she looked up at him with a raised brow, forcing him to explain his outburst.

"Well you can't blame me for laughing! You're only 17 and you're already acting like a concerned mother," he justified with a caring smile.

"_Ugh_, don't remind me," Marianne teased as she stood up from the Ravenclaw bench. "I'll be getting wrinkles and grey hairs before I graduate." The pair chuckled collectively as she rose from the bench and threw her heavy school bag over her shoulder. Before they made their way out of the Great Hall to start their weekly study session in the library, Marianne couldn't help but throw a glance over her shoulder at the Slytherin table. Several seventh years, including Narcissa Black, Severus Snape, Gruntilda Avery, Thorfinn Rowle and Rabastan Lestrange, remained at the end closest to the door and they were huddled over something in front of them. Their whispers were barely audible but their faces were sinister and menacing.

The Ravenclaw didn't want to know what they were planning but immediately felt hard, rigid and defensive. She knew the tides were turning and the last thing Marianne wanted was for her family to be thrust into the conflict. Lord Voldemort's hateful rhetoric forced many rich pureblood families to choose sides but thankfully her mother and father remained neutral.

Yet, as she caught Rabastan Lestrange's intense stare from across the room, she couldn't help but ask herself one question – how long could they stay out of the line of fire? It was no secret that the youngest Lestrange was looking for a wife after the untimely demise of Helga Nott and Marianne physically shuddered when his stare didn't waver as he licked his lips suggestively. She was not blind. She perceived his discrete advances loud and clear. He was slowly hunting her because she was a pureblood with several important ties; her father came from the illustrious English Carter family and his father and her mother gave her connections to the renowned, selective salons of Paris.

In the eyes of the Lestrange family, she was a better candidate than Rodolphus Lestrange's new wife, Bellatrix. Marianne had always suspected that Rabastan was secretly in love with the famously nasty and brutal Slytherin alumna, which is why he probably set his sights on someone like her. If he could marry a Minot, then he would be the champion of the family instead of his older brother. He would have the bragging rights.

"Come on," Remus whispered softly as he put a hand on her back and guided her out the large pair of doors, "they aren't worth your time. Besides, Lestrange will be the laughing stock of the school tomorrow, mark my words."

"You better be referring to an upcoming Marauder prank," Marianne said icily as her light footsteps turned into vicious stomps. "I know I'm a prefect but I would love to see someone break his _bloody_ nose."

She seethed silently until she caught Remus' surprised face when they rounded the next corner. His eyes were wide in alarm. His jaw dropped slightly. His lips twitched nervously. He looked like he'd been thrown for a loop. Marianne's firm body language immediately softened when she realized that Remus Lupin had never actually seen her this mad before. They mostly discussed upcoming exams, newly released academic novels and career paths. Their friendship was light and comical, not deep and serious. Her behavior was probably shocking him.

"I'm sorry," she apologized as guilt washed over her. "I'm just stressed. Don't listen to anything I say." Remus gulped, swallowing her response anxiously, and then gave her a small smile. She returned his gesture with a smile of her own and they slowly walked in silence as they made their way to the library on the third floor.

However, once they sat down and began discussing their upcoming Defense Against the Dark Arts essay on Unbreakable Vows, the tension between them faded. The rigorous conversation opened them both back up and they freely discussed scholastic interpretations as they flipped through the large stacks of books to provide evidence for their respective arguments. At one point, Marianne knocked over her inkpot when reaching for an old book but disregarded the mess as the black liquid pooled on her parchment and spoiled her notes. She had to find the one passage that described a Bonder's specific duties to prove Remus wrong.

"Ha! See this?" she said triumphantly as she thrust the page into his face. "According to Weber, the strength of the Unbreakable Vow lies with the Bonder. If the Bonder doesn't fully focus while performing the wandless incantation, he or she weakens the spell. So you _can_ cheat the Vow if you bribe the Bonder to purposely muck up the whole thing." Remus raised his brows, unimpressed. Marianne tutted and stuck her finger next to the passage that proved her right. He skimmed over the printed words in front of him, sighed and threw himself back into his chair in exhaustion.

"Fine, you win this time!"

"What are you talking about? I _always_ win."

"Well that's because I _always_ letyou," he chuckled as he raised his hands in the air and stretched. Marianne tried not to stare but his toned stomach peeked out from beneath his shirt and she felt her mouth salivate. As he lazily smiled back at her, she couldn't help but show her genuine surprise. She always knew that Remus was a smart student but if he was figuring out the right answer before her and still letting her say it first, then he was also an extreme gentleman. He ignored her wandering eyes, sighed and collapsed on the table in front of them, leaning on a stack of books.

"Your incessant arguing is wearing me out," he grumbled into his arms as he closed his eyes. "Wake me up in five minutes and then we can spar again."

Marianne blinked dumbly several times as she tried to decipher the previous moment. Was Remus Lupin more than he seemed?

He was certainly smarter than he let on and Marianne already considered him to be leaps and bounds ahead of his peers. But his playful deception brought a deeper question to the surface - why did he feel the need to hide his genius? She bit her lip as she puzzled. She hoped she'd never given him any reason to keep anything secret from her. In fact, she considered them to be good friends … yet, as she watched his chest slowly rise and fall, Marianne finally realized that she didn't know very much about Remus.

They never talked about their wildest fantasies, far away dreams or painful pasts, only schoolwork. His admission was the first time he'd shown her another layer of his personality: he was too nice for his own good. Marianne let out a soft breath and continued to stare at her sleeping friend. She'd always found him attractive but his good-humored performance for Nanette and recent confession made her want to get closer to wanted to see who the _real _Remus Lupin was because she was beginning to like what he was like under the first couple layers.

He raised his head slightly so he could let out a shallow cough and then burrowed back into the crook of his arm. Marianne felt her own breath catch in her throat as she continued to survey him from across the table. She felt conflicted. The Ravenclaw desperately wanted to know more about him but held herself back from waking up him up to talk to him again. She bit her lip harder and looked up the ceiling, hoping to find an answer.

Her mother had always taught her to be coy and demure, letting the suitor chase her instead of pursuing the relationship herself. That was the French way. And so, when Marianne had first met Remus in the library before their big exams, she adopted the same strategy. Although she found him to be extremely striking, she never forced anything between them. The choice was his – he could remain friends with her or chase her.

However, after they began studying together regularly, her romantic feelings towards him faded. She figured that if he was courageous enough to kiss other girls in their year, he would have tried to woo her as well. He felt their relationship was only platonic, which is why he never forced her into anything either.

Yet, as her eyes finally settled back on Remus, Marianne realized that she didn't want things to be platonic between them anymore. Not when he had so much more to him that she didn't know. Out of all her friends, he was the one who always brightened her day. He always made sure to talk to her at parties, remembered all her favorite authors and treated her kin more than amicably. He was so different from all the conceited gits that pursued her at all the pureblood balls her parents dragged her to.

At that moment, Marianne decided to adopt a different strategy. Screw the French way. She was going to do it the _Marianne_ way. If she wanted something, she was going to go get it. She wouldn't let herself be prey to someone like Rabastan Lestrange. No one on earth was like Remus Lupin and after all, if she didn't try then she would always wonder what could have been. She desperately wanted to open a new door and know how he was handling his mother's terminal illness. She wanted to know his deepest darkest secrets and his most joyous moments. She wanted something more between them, something multi-dimensional.

And when he yawned as he lifted his head off the table, she wanted to kiss him. Badly.

"I told you I only wanted to be out for five -"

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" Marianne blurted out in the middle of his sentence. "You know, walk around, have a butterbeer, go to the bookstore and check out their new titles?" His eyebrows shot up dramatically, his face plastered in shock. Marianne couldn't help but laugh as he snapped his dropped jaw shut.

"I'd- I'd -"

"Just say yes! You can tolerate me every Wednesday night, surely you can tolerate me for a Saturday afternoon."

"_Yes_," Remus said breathlessly. "Yes, absolutely. I'd love that." Marianne couldn't help but grin broadly. Her break with her mother's advice had brought her immediate success and she felt elated and overjoyed. As he chuckled softly and ran a hand through his sandy brown hair, Marianne solidified her new approach and vowed to take her romantic future into her own hands. She felt empowered beyond belief. She wasn't prey, she was finally the hunter.

"Fantastic. Now you said earlier that you think Baldash is full of crap but _actually_ …"

**Author's Note**: AHHHH REMUS IS SO CUTE!

Sorry for the wait guys, last week was my spring break. I planned to write a lot but my trip to New Orleans was just way too much fun. I had a little bit of writer's block in the middle of this chapter but this afternoon I got a spark. Plus, I have so much planned. I can't stop now. I just want to get it all out on Word because it's gonna be _soooooo_ good.

And LOL at Gruntilda. I pulled that name out of thin air.

Favorite quotes from the story? Who's your favorite character? Favorite pairing so far?

Next chapter will be about Lily. Hopefully it will be up in about a week!


	10. Grapevine

**Disclaimer**: When I first wrote Alice Longbottom into the story, I gave her the last name Cooper, thinking it had a nice ring to it. Well, thanks to my nice Google machine, I realized that Alice Cooper is a kooky American rock star, which is why the name sounded so familiar. I was tempted to make Alice a closet goth as a joke but thought against it.

* * *

"_I heard it through the grapevine not much longer would you be mine. I heard it through the grapevine and I'm just about to lose my mind, honey honey yeah._" – Creedence Clearwater Revival, 1970

* * *

James Potter scored for the seventh time in a row and everyone in the Gryffindor section roared as he saluted his followers. Well, everyone except for Lily Evans. She simmered angrily while her companion for the game, Walter Davies, seethed just as equally.

"He's such a ball hog," he grumbled.

"I know," she replied with a sneer.

"He just gets lucky most of the time. It's not really skill."

"I know!"

"He's just a pompous, arrogant git! He doesn't deserve the attention he's getting from professional scouts!"

"I _know_!"

"AND JAMES POTTER SCORES AGAIN! Merlin, I don't think Hogwarts has seen a player quite like him! He won the Cup for Gryffindor last year and I think he'll - "

"_Longbottom_!"

"Oh come on Minnie, you can't – yes – yes I understand you. I'll report to detention on Monday and call you by your proper name. Now let's see if Slytherin can answer James – _ehem_ - Gryffindor's 80 to 0 run!"

As Erastis Avery sped down the pitch with the quaffle in his hands, Lily and Walter stood silently with their arms over their chests. As they collectively fumed, the quaffle changed hands several times and Wilmur Mulciber eventually whipped down the field with a triumphant grin plastered on his face. Although Lily had no love for James Potter, she felt herself fume even harder when the Slytherin scored against the fatigued Gryffindor keeper. Her house pride swelled within her and she felt conflicted between her house allegiance and eternal hatred for the Gryffindor captain. The dilemma unnerved her to no end.

She huffed and turned towards her left, away from the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain next to her, and looked upwards towards the sky. The day was certainly not going her way.

"Hill passes to Bigsby to Potter and he – HE SCORES! 300-130 GRYFFINDOR!"

"This is absurd," Walter grumbled again, his mood turning completely sour as the Gryffindors around him started jumping up and down joyfully on the stadium benches. "I don't understand how this is happening."

"It's _happening_," Alice Cooper finally butted in, "because James Potter is an excellent chaser. And you should have studied him harder last year Davies. He never gives up. _Never_." She threw a glance at her best friend and Lily Evans glared back at her, not willing to acknowledge the Gryffindor's hint. She knew that Alice didn't like her budding relationship with Walter Davies but Lily chose to ignore her advice. He had been nothing but a gentleman towards her, walking her to class and engaging her in academic conversations about Potions at Slug Club meetings, which is why she had decided to accept his invitation to go to Hogsmeade together.

He also loathed James Potter, which made him even more attractive in Lily's eyes.

Their fresh relationship had sent rumors flying all over the school – did Walter actually like her or was he trying to steal her away from James Potter out of spite? - but Lily didn't care. It felt magical. For once in her life, she was having a great time without James Potter mucking everything up. He was staying away from her, just as he promised, and Lily couldn't remember a happier time in her life. Well, except for her relaxed summers with Severus … but she didn't want to let her mind wander in that direction. She knew it would only make her feel depressed and hollow.

Alice raised a brow playfully, snorted and carried on watching the game. Lily sighed again forcefully and followed her gaze towards the Head Boy. He looked determined as ever as he sped down towards the Slytherin goal post and Lily's eyes flashed when he barely avoided an oncoming bludger. She tried to ignore the fire in her veins as she remembered the first game of the season and the massive amounts of blood that had poured out of his injured arm. It had been like a muggle car wreck – she couldn't look away, even though it was terribly horrific and gory. Suddenly, Lily shook her head to sever her thoughts from her memories.

It was only a game, nothing more. James Potter would be fine without her incessant worrying.

Sirius Black, however, took a different path. He spitefully launched one of the bludgers at his younger brother Regulus, the Slytherin seeker. The young Black skidded out of the way and subsequently lost sight of the snitch as Usha Patil zoomed upwards to follow his vapor trails. The Slytherins cried out and jeered at the eldest Black's actions and Lily started to bite her nails as trouble began to brew in the stands.

Although most match ups between Gryffindor and Slytherin produced a lot of turmoil, this one in particular had the potential to cause a full-blown riot. James Potter and his courageous teammates were dominating the field, only losing once to Hufflepuff in the last seven games, and a lot of students accused the entire team of cheating and foul play. In their eyes, there was no other explanation for their spectacular start to the season; they were breaking records left and right. The Gryffindors' success was not a fluke or an accident, however. They were just too good.

Lily tried not to notice Walter bristling as James sped down the pitch again with the quaffle, passing it back and forth to his fellow chasers. She knew he was one who had spearheaded the allegations and called for a full out inspection of the entire Gryffindor team after they had beat Ravenclaw a second time, outscoring them 400 to 10. In order to be fair, the Hogwarts faculty examined the team and found that they were completely playing by the rules. No cheating, no foul play. In retaliation, one of Slytherin's generous donors supplied the team with brand new broomsticks to increase their chances against the emerging powerhouse. Yet, as Josephine Hill stole the ball from Avery, Lily remarked that their new brooms weren't doing them a lot of good. The Gryffindor players had more skill and finesse - something that couldn't be bought.

"And Hill shoots – SCORES! 310-140 GRYFFINDOR!"

"You know," Alice whispered into Lily's ear as the rest of the Gryffindors shrieked happily, "I heard a rumor about Josephine."

"And I care because?"

"She's going to Hogsmeade with James."

"_WHAT_?!" Lily screamed, causing several students including Walter to turn around and gawk at her. She froze instantly, trying to think of a way to cover her slip. "That call!" she said raising her brows incredulously as she motioned to the field with her hand. "That was a completely biased call! Don't you agree Walter?"

"Sure," he replied nonchalantly and then crossed his hands back over his chest, "but I still want Slytherin to win this one. No offense. I mean, Potter does have several good plays but he needs to work on his - "

As Walter began to prattle on about Quidditch strategy and how much he wished James Potter would keel over and die, Lily automatically tuned him out. She had managed to convince everyone around her that she was paying attention to the game but in reality, she was only paying attention to one specific player. Her eyes were glued to the Gryffindor Quidditch captain as he zipped and zoomed around in the air and suddenly, she saw several black spots in her field of vision. Her heart began to race, causing her blood to fly through her veins. She felt dizzy. She felt light headed. She needed to sit down.

With a _flop!_ she collapsed down onto the bench below her and as all the other Gryffindor students remained standing, Lily felt the world closing in around her and she heard a faint popping sound in her ears. Something was squeezing her chest and she tried to ignore her extreme claustrophobia as Gryffindor's recent goal churned the crowd into a frenzy.

"Lily!" Alice cried out and ducked down to sit beside her. "Oh I'm so sorry Lily. I didn't mean to upset you, I just thought you should know! I'm such a horrible friend, please forgive me!"

She put her arms around her friend's shoulders and Lily couldn't do anything but rest her head in her arms in a catatonic daze. Alice's news was certainly a large shock to her system and she didn't know how to control all of her conflicting emotions. She was completely stunned. She _should_ have been happy - overjoyed even - that James was moving on but she felt even emptier than she had when Severus had called her a mudblood and essentially ended their friendship. But why did she care what James Potter did with his life? She was still an excellent Head Girl, a member of the Slug Club and recently, the companion of the handsome Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. Without James Potter, she was excelling in everything. She was perfect.

Yet, as she watched one of the Gryffindor players rocket over her, she couldn't help but let her bottom lip quiver while her eyes began to water. If there was one thing constant in Lily Evan's life, it was James Potter. Without fail, he always asked her out, pranked unsuspecting students and acted like a general arse. She always accused him of being immature and obtuse and he always proved her right.

However, ever since their spat at the beginning of the year, he had turned into a different person. He only talked to her when he had to, encouraged younger students to take their studies seriously and led the Gryffindors to victory most of the times he stepped onto the pitch. He was a new James Potter and Lily didn't fully realize the consequences of his actions until now. She had tried to ignore it, but it seemed that James Potter had grown up and didn't need her anymore.

And despite her resentment towards him, she felt completely drained, blank and bare because of it.

"And Patil grabs the snitch from right under Black's nose! GRYFFINDOR WINS! _AGAIN_!"

The rest of the Gryffindors burst into applause and spontaneous cheers as they thumped their feet against the stands below them. Their roars filled the stadium, drowning out the Slytherin hisses and objections. Lily felt the subsequent vibrations as she continued to silently sit on the bench. She didn't even hear Alice telling Walter that she wasn't feeling well and would meet up with her later.

Lily felt like someone had placed a Timeturner on her neck because everything suddenly was moving at light speed; students' interactions and cheers were short and brief as they milled about on the pitch, congratulating the members of the winning squad. She even felt completely unattached when Sirius and his younger brother began to throw punches at each other on the field. Just as quickly as the fight had started, it ended. The time lapse continued. Suddenly, she felt Alice pinch her right arm and she physically jumped into the air. Time slowed back down and Lily shook her head back and forth to dispel the illusions she saw in front of her. Many of the students had left the stadium, except for a couple of players who remained on the field.

Yet, once Lily Evans' eyes caught Sirius Black, she no longer felt dazed and confused. Instead, her old anger bubbled up from inside her and she balled up her fists at her sides. James had to be punishing her for blackmailing her, that was the only logical explanation. He was not grown up. He was still a child and he was using her foolproof plan against her. He had to know that ignoring her would make her even more angry than bugging her. He just wanted to make her suffer, even if he couldn't personally do it himself. After several straight seconds of grunts and scoffs, she pushed Alice to the side and muttered that she would see her later.

She would not let James Potter make her feel inferior. It was her job to do that to _him_.

"Black!" she screeched as she stomped onto the field, her Head Girl instincts finally kicking in. "Where the _hell_is Potter?"

"Woah Evans, calm down. We won!" Sirius said with a carefree grin as he held his hands up in the air innocently. "No need to be angry!"

"I have every _right_ to be angry. Answer the question."

"Fine, fine. He's in the locker room."

"Good. Now if I ever see you taunting your brother like that again, I will be forced to give you detention," she said through her teeth. "A week's worth." Sirius' brows shot up his forehead and he let out a low whistle, not believing that she would try and threaten him after his spectacular, albeit daring Quidditch performance.

"I do hope James is prepared for your fire storm," he said softly as he turned his back towards her. Lily growled and watched him saunter away from the locker rooms. As he passed a shadowy corner, she saw several puffs of smoke float upwards and a hand that reached out to pull him out of the sunlight and into the shadows. Flashes of black and blonde hair melded together as the pair started to snog passionately and Lily rolled her eyes.

_Men_.

"POTTER!" she screeched again and her voice echoed down the long hallway that led to the Gryffindor locker rooms. When there was no answer, she huffed and stomped loudly until she reached the door labeled "Wizards". She pressed her ear to the door and when she heard sounds coming from behind it, she let out another throaty growl. With a large, angry shove, she forced the door open and was prepared to kick it down if she did not successfully expose the inside of the locker room. Thankfully, her first try was enough and she stormed into the room, her eyes murderous and full of rage.

"EVANS!" James Potter yelped as she turned the corner. He looked very flustered as he knocked over his Quidditch bag in surprise and all his personal items spilled onto the floor. However, her fury instantly ceased when she realized that he was standing before her, only clad in his boxers. Any other time she would have made fun of him for wearing underwear with childish cartoon quaffles on them but this time, Lily couldn't stop staring at his perfectly sculpted abs. Her mouth even flopped open in surprise.

He had the body of a god. A Gryffindor Quidditch _god_.

"We have to talk about Hogsmeade," she finally seethed, fighting the urge to run her fingers over his exposed skin.

"What about it?" he said, his eyes shifting back and forth nervously. He clearly had no idea she was ogling him.

"It's next weekend and you haven't done _anything_," she retorted, putting her arms over her chest in annoyance. "_I've_ been the one double checking everything. This is the first trip of the year Potter! We have to set a precedent so nothing bad happens in the future. If anything goes wrong, it's our fault. You got that? Our – well I guess it would be your fault since I've met with all the Professors and ran over the approved student list several times. I know you have a date with Josephine -"

"You know about that?" he asked incredulously as he straightened his glasses on his face.

"Of course I do James, gossip spreads like wildfire in this castle. But just because you have a date for the first time does not mean that you can shirk your duties. We have to check every student off and make sure that none of them sneak into the carriages without permission. We have to maintain order – something I know you're not used to doing."

"I'm going to be there with you Lily," he said sternly. "I'm not going to 'shirk' anything."

"Good. Now go take a shower, your body odor is nauseating," she grumbled and then swiftly turned and exited the boys' locker room. Once she slammed the door shut, she leaned back against it and expelled a large sigh. Yelling at James Potter always made her feel better, even if he did confuse her beyond belief.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Weeeee Jily! I had a hard time writing this chapter because … well I can write angry Lily and in love Lily, but confused Lily is a bit more difficult. I hope I made her look a little bipolar because James is totally driving her crazy LOLZZZZZ.

The next chapter will be all the girls when they go to Hogsmeade. It's going to be a long one so I'm hoping to get it up within the next week or so but I foresee it being at least 5,000 words. That's going to take awhile, considering I'm wrapping up my last semester of college and job hunting. I know these past chapters have been a little disjointed but you're going to love the next chapter. SHIT GOES DOWN.

:D


	11. Layla

**Disclaimer**: You may hate me after this chapter. Or you may love me, I'm not sure.

The Purple Inkpot is based on a real place in Amsterdam called Kokopelli Smartshop. I couldn't resist putting myself in the story too – Carl Menert is a combination of my nickname (my real name is Carly but most people call me Carl because I'm quirky like that) and Michal Menert, the artist I couldn't stop listening to when I wrote this.

Also, I'm in the process of going back and editing my work to space it out more. I realized that a lot of my paragraphs are super blocky so I want to give my return key a workout.

"_What'll you do when you get lonely__ a__nd nobody's waiting by your side?__You've been running and hiding much too long, you know it's just your foolish pride._" – Derek and the Dominos, 1970

_Silence. Nothing but silence. _

_The little boy hugged his legs tighter to his chest and slowly started to rock back and forth to calm his breathing. He squeezed his eyes shut. Breathe in, breath out. Breathe in, breathe out. Papa said everything would be all right. He wiggled his toes and involuntarily bit his lip as his terror slowly began to subside. _

_He opened his eyes and saw nothing but darkness as he listened to the rain hit the roof above him. He blinked but he still could not adjust to the lack of light. He whimpered softly. He wanted to be back in his warm bed. He didn't understand why his parents had ripped him from his room and put him in the outside shed. It was for his protection, his father had said. But protection from whom? _

_Suddenly, a great stream of moonlight burst onto his face and he cowered as he put his hand up to shield his eyes. Someone had ripped off the door. He began to cry out for help until heard a low, guttural snarl. His breath caught in his throat as he lowered his hand and saw that it was not his father or his mother standing over him. It was a monster._

_Fear. Unending fear. He blinked several times as his vision sharpened, his heart beating like the wings of a hummingbird. The large wolf snapped its teeth as it glared at him with piercing red eyes. The boy started to hyperventilate. Where was Papa? Where was Mama? _

_The beast jumped up on its hind legs and howled loudly at the full moon above them. The boy couldn't help but scream as raindrops began to splash onto his face. The wolf set its front limbs back on the ground and seemed to grin at his misfortune when he began to shake. It snapped its jaws one more time before lunging towards him with its large teeth, aiming for his right leg … _

Gemma Rawnsley screamed loudly as her eyes flew open. She felt someone wrap their arms around her torso and she yelped again, kicking backwards. The person behind her let out a sharp gasp as she hit something soft. She swiftly grabbed the sheet around her and curled into a ball in the cluster of pillows at the top of the bed. The Seer began to hyperventilate as she rocked back and forth.

"Bloody hell woman, I think you just killed all my future children!" Sirius Black groaned as he clutched his manhood between his legs.

Gemma continued to sway, muttering incoherently. Her right eye twitched rapidly as she fixated on the deep red curtains in front of her. Things started to spin and the individual threads of the crushed velvet material moved like grass swirling in the wind. It was like being stuck in a vortex. She felt a familiar nausea creep into her stomach and the Hufflepuff seized Sirius' arm to steady herself as she came out of her visionary dream. She grasped it tightly and the world continued to flip around and around like the inside of a muggle washing machine.

Her pupils quickly dilated and then rapidly contracted back to their normal size. Relief washed over her. Gemma let out several shaky breaths and the world slowly stopped moving. She felt her magical ability start to leave her body and she relaxed her tense muscles. The Seer softly let go of Sirius' arm and placed a hand to her cheek. She was still burning up but everything else seemed to be normal. She let out another deep sigh of relief and then fell back into the pillows.

However, Gemma's release was short lived. When she finally started to look around her, she realized everything was a shade of scarlet, mixed with accents of black and gold – Gryffindor colors. Although the curtains were completely drawn, she didn't need a crystal ball to know that everything in the entire room was decorated with the same color scheme. Fear immediately replaced her relief. She was in the Gryffindor seventh year dorm room, specifically next to Sirius Black in his proper bed.

And to top it all off, it was also the morning of the first Hogsmeade trip of the year and the day before Halloween. She swore softly and tried to avoid his confused stare.

Memories from the night before flashed through her brain as she stared at his curtains. She was hanging out with the band in an abandoned classroom when he found her. He just magically appeared out of thin air, saying he was wandering by on the way home from his detention and smelled their gillyweed smoke. Gemma remembered not questioning his presence … and the way he passionately kissed her on top of the Astronomy Tower after they left together. He told her he wanted to make love to her in a real bed and since she was so caught up in the moment, she agreed to follow him anywhere. They ended up in his room but the Hufflepuff never planned to fall asleep afterwards. She never spent the night with a bloke in order to avoid situations like the one she was currently in.

"Gemma," Sirius began hesitantly, "what just happened?"

"Nothing, nothing," she replied hastily as she threw the sheet off her. She frantically began to look for her clothes that were strewn about on top of his bedding. "Look, I'm fine - fine really. Just a little spastic in the mornings. Sorry you're shagging such a crazy nutter. Well! I'll just be _going_ then -"

"No!" Sirius cried as he grabbed her hand desperately. "No, I'm not letting you run this time. I – I love you too much!"

The four-letter word hung in the air and Gemma froze in an awkward position, her chocolate corduroy pants pulled half way up her legs.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. You what?"

"I love you!" Sirius repeated and then frantically scrambled over to her side of the bed as she deflated. He suddenly stopped panting and reached out to softly place a hand on her exposed right hip. "I love you Gemma Rawnsley and I'm not ashamed to say it. But please don't go. _Please_ don't run away from me this time. I couldn't bare it."

Gemma looked into his grey eyes and saw that he was telling the truth; his aura pulsated with sincerity and genuineness. Still, his honesty smacked her in the face and sent her flying into the unknown. She sucked in a deep breath and ran a hand through her messy, long blonde hair. She couldn't face him. Sirius was opening so many new doors to so many new feelings and she couldn't deal with it. It was all too much to handle, especially since she had just recently come out of a mystical tunnel of misery and despair. She clutched her core as her stomach acid began to eat the walls surrounding it.

Shit. The word echoed through her thoughts.

Shit, shit, _shit_.

"Say something. Anyth-"

"I'm scared!" she blurted out. "Ok? I'm _scared_. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I can't help but run! It's just what I do. I don't get attached."

"Well neither do I," Sirius said with a grin as he pushed a piece of blonde hair out of her face. She peered up at him, her eyes glassy and red. "I've certainly – well how do I put this politely?" He bit his lip and glanced down at his shaking hands. "Ok, I've shagged a lot of girls. There's no way around that one. But I swear to _Dumbledore_, I have never felt this way before. I've been infatuated, but I've never been in love until now."

"But Sirius, I'm not really girlfriend material," she shrugged as she turned her cheek. "I'm damaged goods."

"You are not damaged goods. If you say ever say that again, I will -"

"I'm a Seer, you dolt!" Gemma replied, smacking him on the side of the head lightly. "I make prophecies whenever I drink tea, which is a lot. I carry crystals around with me. I have visions in my sleep and most of the time I don't even know what they mean. I'm bloody insane!"

"I know," Sirius said as he locked his fingers with hers, "and I still love you. No matter how batty you are."

His touch sent tiny shocks up her arm and down into her chest. The warm, tingling feeling quickly spread to her brain and Gemma felt her mouth prickle as her entire face went numb. She blinked, realizing that she was feeling pure happiness course through her veins. It was electric and the most satisfying thing she had ever felt. She wondered if she could cast a full patronus using this memory alone.

"Then I'm never leaving you again," she swooned as she wrapped her arms around his bare chest. Sirius whooped joyfully and nuzzled his lips against her neck as he muttered 'I love you' over and over again. She protested but once he started kissing her collarbone, she moaned appreciatively. Their desire took control but just as Sirius flipped her over, she yelped.

"Sirius! I still have my pants on!"

"Not for long," he growled as his hands wandered south.

"Arcoiris – yes, here you are on the list! Jolly good. Now, you say this is your date for the day? How did you get so lucky?" James Potter asked as he playfully nudged Ralph Arcoiris, a fourth year Hufflepuff. The boy's face was etched in a delightful grin. "Well I guess I'll just have to cross you _both_ off the list then. _Together_. What's your name dearie?"

"Sofia Lovegood," the brunette Ravenclaw answered shyly as her face turned a deep scarlet.

"Alright, done," the Head Boy smiled broadly as he tapped his quill on the parchment he was holding. "You're free to go. But be careful lad, you're taking a delightful young woman on a date. If I hear you were anything other than a gentleman, I will have to simply -"

"That's enough James," Lily Evans said rolling her eyes. "Let them go on their merry way. We're just about done here."

Ralph continued to grin excitedly and Sofia's blush deepened when he reached out and grabbed her hand. Lily smiled wistfully as she watched them scamper down the road towards the small village. She closed her eyes and began to reenact her first date at Hogsmeade in her head. It was a gorgeous fall day and she still was able to smell the autumn leaves that swirled around in the wind. Although she didn't like to leave Sev alone, she wanted nothing more than to go to Madame Puddifoots with her first crush, Zander Boot. He was so dreamy and –

"Padfoot m'boy! You're finally awake!" James exclaimed, ripping Lily from her daydreams. He seemed to be doing that a lot today. She internally groaned and opened her eyes to see that Sirius Black had indeed graced them with his presence. He was not alone, however. He was holding hands with Gemma Rawnsley, the elusive Hufflepuff whom the Marauder seemed to be head over heels in love with.

"Yes, _we_ are. So you can cross _us_ off the list," Sirius answered, grinning madly. He looked like a child on Christmas morning and Lily's face softened when she realized that she hadn't seen Sirius this happy in a very long time.

"So you're officially going to Hogsmeade together then?" James bobbed excitedly and Lily couldn't help but perk up her ears so that she could hear the potentially good news.

"Yes," Gemma replied sheepishly and then dreamily looked up at the pureblood next to her. "And we're actually _together_ together too."

"You – you are?! Merlin's beard, it's finally happened! CONGRATULATIONS YOU TWO!" James bellowed and he opened his arms and hugged Sirius tightly. As he slapped his best friend on the back joyously, Lily couldn't help but smile at his genuine reaction. The Head Boy then pulled Gemma into a large bear hug and she yelped in surprise when he picked her up and spun her around, whooping with joy. When he put her back on the ground, he playfully pointed a finger in her face. "You do realize what this means, right? You're an honorary Marauder now!"

As Gemma laughed and Sirius pulled her closer to kiss her on the head, Lily felt a strong sense of loneliness creep up her spine. She felt like she was at the muggle zoo, watching all the animals live their daily lives through a glass divider. She felt so detached while they looked so together. It pained her. Although she kept telling herself that she hated James Potter, she couldn't help but frown when she realized that he was more excited about Sirius' new girlfriend than their lack of a relationship. In fact, he was more excited about meeting every person he crossed off their master list of eligible students than socializing with her. She shivered involuntarily. She hated feeling this way.

But her imagination kept running wild. Would Sirius react the same way if she and James were to finally start dating? Would she be an honorary Marauder too?

"Look," James began after he put his parchment up over his face and Lily scowled when she realized he was shielding himself from her, "I'll tell Josephine we'll meet you for a butterbeer at the 'Sticks. Now run along love birds!"

Sirius saluted his best friend and then swooped Gemma up into his arms like a groom on his wedding day. She laughed blissfully and kicked her legs back and forth with a playful smile tugging at her lips. She didn't seem to care that both boys had vaulted her off the ground; she was too caught up in her own ecstasy. Lily shook again, hating the cold shivers that her jealousy produced. She heard James drop the parchment back to his side and sigh as he watched them mosey down the path.

"Pinch me."

"What?!" Lily exclaimed, extremely confused. This was the first time he'd spoken directly to her all day.

"Pinch me Evans! This can't be real. I can't believe Sirius finally caught her! Man, he was going crazy over her and she just kept running and running and run-"

He stopped midsentence when he realized he was approaching deep water.

"Sorry. Nevermind."

Lily internally screamed for him to keep going but remained silent when James gulped nervously. He turned away from her and began to push a rock back and forth with his shoe and she almost broke down in tears right there on the spot. It seemed he was officially over her. She pulled her large beige sweater tighter around her pale blue polka dotted dress as her shivers continued. The Head Girl had been waiting for this day ever since James Potter had first asked her out but now that it was here, she felt abysmally sick to her stomach.

For the first time in her life, Lily Evans actually wanted James to ask her out. She wanted to be _wanted _by him – and he was doing his best to ignore her completely.

"James!" she heard someone call out and she turned to see that Josephine Hill was running out the castle. Her extremely athletic frame was clad in bell-bottom jeans and a white lacy peasant top. Lily's heart sunk even deeper. Josephine was the complete opposite of her and yet, she was the one who got the man. Her wavy blonde hair refused to stay in her ponytail and James reached out and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. Lily almost threw up.

"Can you - "

"Just _go_ James," she snarled as she ripped his list out of his hands. "Enjoy your _date_."

"Date?" Josephine said incredulously. "Is that the rumor going around? I thought this was supposed to be a day spent between two friends."

"It is," James grumbled as he glared at her. "I have no idea what Evans is on about. Come on, let's go."

Lily felt like a complete and utter fool. As they walked away from her, immediately striking up a conversation about Quidditch, despair filled her lungs and she felt unable to breathe. How dare he make fun of her like that? How dare he just wander away from her afterwards? Her anger prickled under her skin. Moreover, how could she have been so _stupid_? In a fit of rage, she kicked the rock James had been playing with earlier and it sailed through the air and hit someone straight between the eyes.

"Oh my god, Walter! I am _so_ sorry!"

Aeryn Miller squealed with delight and clapped her hands as one of the servers placed two steaming cups of tea in front of her and Peter. As the very bored looking girl left several frilly napkins at the edge of the table, Aeryn excitedly blew on her tea to try and cool it down. After a couple more tries, she eventually stopped heaving and thrust two lumps of sugar into her drink. As she wrapped her fingers around her cup and slowly sipped her tea, she looked across the table at her boyfriend. He looked awkward and skittish but Aeryn didn't care. She was having her favorite red velvet cake tea at Madame Puddifoots – her one condition if he was going to drag her through Zonko's later.

"So did you see what Karen Milligan was wearing earlier? Oh. My. God. It was horrendous!"

"I didn't catch her dear," Peter replied as he tugged at the collar of his black button down shirt. "Sorry."

"Really? You didn't see her talking to Professor Artro?" she asked incredulously. "I thought all male students couldn't keep their eyes off that woman." She snorted loudly and then sipped her tea again.

She wasn't stupid. She could tell that the new Defense Against the Dark Arts attracted many forbidden admirers among the student population – and possibly the faculty. She'd heard a rumor that she was possibly shacking up with their long-standing Herbology professor, Loki Stotch. Aeryn let her mind wander as she continued to daydream over her drink. She concluded that if you combined Sabine Artro's sharp, aristocratic features with Loki Stotch's dark, brooding personality, you'd get one hell of an attractive male or female child.

"I don't like her," Peter said and Aeyrn scrunched up her face in surprise. "She seems a little shifty to me."

"How so?" Aeryn asked when she placed her lips to the side of the cup again. She almost let out a moan of pure bliss as the delicious liquid rolled down her throat. Peter, she noticed, hadn't touched his tea yet.

"Oh I don't know," he responded while running a nervous, shaking hand through his hair. "She just _slinks_ around. I always run into her in the oddest places. One moment I'm scurr – running down an empty hall on the fourth floor and then I turn the corner and bam! There she is. Just _standing_ there. Alone. Doing nothing."

"Maybe the other faculty members have warned her that the Marauders are real troublemakers," she giggled. "Maybe she's onto you. Say, do you think her and Professor Stotch are a thing? They could totally have a romance going on and we just don't know it."

"I doubt it," Peter muttered as he looked down at his steaming cup of tea. He gingerly placed his fingers around his drink and then lifted it to his mouth. Aeryn jumped when he spit the liquid back into his cup. He started to swear softly under his breath as he put the cup back onto its saucer. "Too hot," he briefly explained and then stuck out his tongue so that he could try to cool it down by fanning it with his hands.

"Peter! What is wrong with you?" Several moments later, she realized that her question was rather loaded. Sure, he was acting like a fool in a very respectable teashop but she's been extremely suspicious of his behavior ever since the beginning of the term.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he apologized as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "I'm just nervous."

"Nervous about what?" she growled, immediately feeling tense and jittery.

"Oh alright, I'll just come out with it!" Peter wailed desperately as he removed his hands from his pockets, placing a small black box in front of her. Aeryn froze and felt her teacup fall from her fingers and crash on the ground. The porcelain splinters littered the floor but she didn't register the mess she made. She could only focus on the jewelry box in front of her. It explained his nervous behavior completely. The Gryffindor snatched it up from the table with lightning speed and quickly snapped it open. Inside there was a simple silver band.

No diamond. Phrases of dissatisfaction rang in her ears.

"It's a promise ring," Peter explained sheepishly. "I don't have the money or the status to marry you yet but this ring will hopefully show you that I'm serious about our relationship." Aeryn slowly took the ring out of the box and placed it in the palm of her hand. She couldn't deny that she was disappointed – girls like her always got excited at the prospect of a wedding ring – but the alternative was not the end of the world. She smiled as she placed it on the ring finger of her left hand. It looked nice against her freshly manicured, white tipped nails.

"Thank you dear," she purred as she sat up in her seat and leaned across the table to kiss him. "We can go to Zonko's after I finish my tea." Peter's expression exploded with relief. He met her lips eagerly and soon, their exchange began to steam up the window next them. However, no one seemed to notice because most students in the teashop were doing the exact same thing.

Marianne Minot and Remus Lupin tumbled out of Tomes and Scrolls, the oldest bookshop in Hogsmeade, laughing hysterically. The Ravenclaw wiped her eyes as they settled themselves just to the right of the main entrance to the building.

"I can't believe you told Marius Fletcher he was an arrogant toerag for making up the ending of _We Three Witches_ to impress Persephone Davies! I hate to say it but you sounded an awfully lot like Lily Evans."

"Well he _was_ being an arrogant toerag!" Remus exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "You can't just make up the ending of a critically acclaimed novel without expecting people to call you on your shit."

"Well your comment forced us of the shop," she countered playfully. She down looked at her watch. "We've got about an hour left. Since I picked Tomes and Scrolls, you pick the last place."

"Ok, one question – do you like muggle authors?"

"I've liked the ones I've read," Marianne admitted shyly, "but there weren't many in my pureblood household when I was growing up. So I'm a novice."

"Perfect," Remus grinned and he waved for her to follow him. She chuckled and quickened her step in order to keep up with his long strides as he began to turn past Dominic Maestro's music shop.

She couldn't remember ever having this much fun at Hogsmeade before. Her first few visits had certainly been magical and she always treasured the trip she and her sisters had taken the year before, but her time with Remus Lupin blew all her other experiences out of the water. They'd come up with a game – a little contest – to see who knew the bookstores of Hogsmeade the best. Therefore, they'd spent the entire day running and in out of literary establishments, completely laughing their heads off every step of the way. Their witty banter was effortless and Marianne's abdominal muscles hurt from expressing her massive amounts of amusement.

"Here we are," Remus said, opening his arms wide. "The Purple Inkpot - our last stop."

Marianne felt her jaw drop in awe.

The building was a deep shade of eggplant and she counted nine hanging ferns attached to the outside of it. She could see several intricately painted star shaped lights hanging from the ceiling inside and just under their reflection, the front window had 'The Purple Inkpot' written out in wiggly purple letters. She completely ignored Remus and ran into the bookshop, immediately realizing that it was more than a place that sold books. The entire inside of the building was painted sky blue with abstract puffs of white clouds scattered over the walls. To her right, there were several large pieces of psychedelic art hanging over the clouds, waiting to be sold. She turned her head to the left and saw that there were several plush couches and large, self-sustaining teapots in the middle of rainbow circular tables. But the sight directly in front of her took her breath away. Endless rows of brightly colored bookshelves waited for her to inspect each and every one of them.

"Well, do you like it?"

"Oh _Remus_," Marianne replied breathlessly as she reached down to pet one of the several wandering cats around her, "I never want to leave this place!" She scooped up one of the house kittens, cooing in its ear softly, and meandered over to one of the couches. When she sat down and tried to fully drink in the trippy looking shop, the tabby cat began to purr in her lap.

"So I guess I won, right?"

"Absolutely" was her only reply. She was too busy swiveling her head around to come up with accurate praise for her literary friend.

"Remus!" an old man, dressed in shimmering red robes with a beard that rivaled Dumbledore, called out. "Back again I see. And who have you brought with you this time?" Remus grinned and stood up to hug the man while Marianne felt a blush creep into her cheeks as she continued to pet the cat in her lap.

"This is Marianne Minot," the Gryffindor replied and she softly placed the animal on the couch next to her so she could stand up and meet the wizard in front of her. "She's an old friend of mine. Marianne, this is Ben Smithers. He owns the place."

"Minot?" Ben asked curiously as he reached out his hand. Marianne wanted to reach out and touch his perfectly dreaded silver hair but quickly thought against it. "French I presume?"

"You are correct," she giggled as she shook his hand and properly greeted him.

"Hmmm," he pondered as he let go of her hand. Marianne shot an excited glance at Remus and he smiled back at her. When the Ravenclaw focused her attention back to the shop owner, he pulled out a moss green book from beneath his robes. "I think you'll like this one," he winked and Marianne almost mistook him for their Headmaster as he placed the novel in her hands.

"You have Carl Menert's latest work?" Remus asked in disbelief. "It doesn't come out until next month!"

"I'm still able to surprise you after all these years," Ben smiled. "I take that as a compliment."

"Who's Carl – Menert did you say?" Marianne butted in, feeling like a dwarf next to the two tall men around her.

"He's an ace muggle author," Remus responded softly. "He writes about love, politics, personal growth, overcoming-"

"I think you should let the young lady find out for herself. You don't want to give away all his intricate plot twists, now do you?" Ben chuckled and then smiled at the two students standing in front of him. "I will tell you this though – you're going to have to read his work several times. You won't see all the clues and foreshadowing until you've gone over it a second time. In one of his books, he gives away one of the main subplots in the first chapter!"

"Wow, thank you! How much is it?" Marianne said gratefully as she began to dig in her pockets of her grey flares for her coin purse.

"It's on the house," he winked. "Now I urge you to look around. I love seeing the faces of magical folks who've come in here for the first time."

Marianne couldn't help but thank him several more times before he left to resume his post at the head cash register. She hugged the book to her chest and looked up at Remus, who had a dumb grin plastered on his face. He sweepingly held out his hand and directed her towards the colorful bookshelves. The Ravenclaw let out a gleeful squeal – something very unusual for her – and rushed over to examine all the books. While she recognized a few of the titles, most of them were unknown to her. She felt the familiar thrill of adventure and the power of the written word pulsing through her and she rounded the bookshelf, completely losing Remus.

She picked out one of the books from the shelf and stared at the bright yellow cover. Marianne couldn't resist herself; she opened up the novel and began to flip through it. The typewriter font jumped out at her but when she reached the middle of the book, she realized that there were pictures. She tilted the book sideways and watched as one of the large folded pages unraveled itself towards the floor. As she looked at the photos, she realized they were not moving.

"It's a trip, right?" Remus muttered softly behind her. "You can imagine what it would be like for a muggle to see our books. Pretty magical."

Magical was an understatement. As she placed the book back on the shelf, Marianne felt euphoria and pure joy bubble up from somewhere deep inside her. She finally felt _alive_ and more empowered than she had ever been before … but she soon realized that the muggle books were not making her feel that way. It was Remus. His dashing features and caring heart made her want to follow him anywhere, even if it was to hell and back. Suddenly Carl Menert's latest novel fell from her hands as she reached up to touch his face. She didn't even have time to register her courageous outburst; she was already kissing him passionately.

Remus, however, did not respond in kind. Seconds after she kissed him, he yelped and jumped back, smacking his head against one of the bookshelves behind him. The crack echoed through her ears and Marianne felt the air rush out of her lungs as she registered the utter terror in his eyes. He inhaled sharply. His hands began to shake violently and he shoved them into his pockets to conceal his fright.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I can't."

He quickly bolted, taking her heart with him, and left completely her alone in the aisle. Marianne cried out painfully and instantly burst into tears as she crumpled to the floor next to Menert's latest novel. She'd never felt so empty in her entire life. Her euphoria and _joie de vivre_ simply ceased to exist.

"Why didn't I listen to you Mama?" she exclaimed, hating the fact that she had deviated from her mother's instructions and caused herself so much pain.

**Author's Note**: So many things just happened.

SO. MANY. THINGS.

Where should I being? I guess I'll just start by saying that the first ten chapters were all background so you know what each character is thinking. The real drama starts now :D The rest of the story is going to be a rollercoaster and that's a promise you can hold me to.

Sirius/Gemma. Hurray! They are together! But does she know what her dream means? You'll find that out soon enough ;D

I totally couldn't resist hurting Walter in this chapter. I mean, you hate him too right? Right. That's what I thought.

You weren't expecting Peter to bust that one out either, were you? Heh, neither was I until I actually sat down and wrote this thing. As for Sabine/Loki … I've been rewatching HBO's Rome recently so they are totally Polly Walker and James Purefoy.

And Remus/Marianne … please don't hurt me. There's just no way he was just going to kiss her back when he hasn't even told his friends he loves her. But don't worry, she's not going anywhere.

Also, do you guys care about the music I'm quoting at the beginning of each chapter? Do you want me to set up a Spotify playlist so you can listen to the corresponding songs?

Aaaaaaand we're going back to the boys for the next round robin. Please review, I love hearing from you!


	12. I Saw Her Standing There

**Disclaimer**: So when I originally created Aeryn in my head, she was really dumb. Like absurdly dumb. But I've decided to make her a little more dynamic by modeling her after Trudy Campbell from Mad Men with a sprinkle of Dolores Umbridge thrown in there. She's not evil but she's extremely proud.

* * *

"_Well, she was just 17, you know what I mean,__ a__nd the way she looked was way beyond compare. __So how could I dance with another __w__hen I saw her standin' there?_" – Elton John and John Lennon, 1974

* * *

Peter Pettigrew slyly rolled his eyes as his girlfriend Aeryn Miller pulled out her bag of vibrantly colored nail polishes and placed it on the Gryffindor Common Room table in between them. Although he loved having his girlfriend around all the time, he hated tolerating all her feminine tastes and activities. She hummed softly to herself, not paying attention to him as he eased back in his armchair. Peter sighed. He never understood why she liked to paint her nails the muggle way but remained silent as she ostentatiously sorted through her collection. She huffed and silently flip flopped between the colors.

"The red one," he said. "You always look better in red."

"Thank you dear," Aeryn blushed. She coyly blew him a kiss before she dabbed some liquid onto a cotton ball. Peter smiled triumphantly and placed his intertwined fingers over his belly. He watched her take off her current shade – a bright bubble gum pink – and when she got to her ring finger on her left hand, she paused. The Marauder felt his smile turn into a slight frown as she admired his gift. Although he loved Aeryn dearly, his primary reason for purchasing the promise ring was for not for her benefit.

It was for his.

The ring was the result of a pact he had made with himself. Two days before the first Hogsmeade visit of the year, Peter finally recognized that a certain Slytherin occupied his thoughts almost daily. He knew it was only lust he felt for her but after smoking a pack of cigarettes, he realized that his urges were only out of fear. A fear of being weak and insignificant. But he was the master of his fate, not anyone else, so he decided it was time for him to face the facts, become a man and take his relationship with Aeryn seriously. After all, he'd been dating her for a year, which was no small feat.

And besides, they weren't the only ones at Hogwarts with promise rings. Many students pledged the same commitment due to the current volatile political climate. But it was only a _promise_ of marriage, Peter reminded himself as Aeryn finished taking off her polish. It wasn't set in stone.

"So Sirius and Gemma seem to be quite the lovebirds," she began as she unscrewed the cap to her red bottle. Peter grinned. Although most people called Lizzie Richardson the biggest gossip in school, the Gryffindor knew that his girlfriend secretly gave her a run for her money. And he did nothing to discourage her. He loved knowing the school's secrets since many of them involved the Marauders.

"That's an understatement. I honestly don't know what's gotten into him. I've never seen him this wild before."

"He's not wild, he's in _love_," Aeryn chided. "I think he's being romantic."

"He snuck into the Slytherin dormitories to write _Sirius + Gemma_ permanently on the back of all their robes. That's reckless, not romantic. Do you know what they would have done to him if they'd caught him alone in their territory?" he countered.

"Oh come on Peter," she said, raising a brow. "You lot go in there all the time to prank them."

"We never do it alone!"

"Fine, you never do it alone," she responded, rolling her eyes, "but he didn't go in there completely blind. He handled himself."

"I think he's worse than James used to be," Peter grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest. "And that's saying something."

"_Speaking_ of James," she said in a singsong voice as she started to paint her pinky fingernail, "did you hear that Lily Evans is no longer seeing Walter Davies?"

"You are such a gossip," the boy scoffed playfully. "And yes, I did hear that."

"So? What is James going to do about it?"

"Ummm nothing?" Peter answered, clearly confused. "She told him to piss off so he's been staying clear of her."

"You males are so _thick_!" Aeryn said incredulously, almost spilling over her polish. "Don't you see what's happening? She went to Hogsmeade with Davies to shove it in James' face. And since he didn't seem to care, she scrapped the Ravenclaw captain because she never liked him in the first place. She _wants_ James!"

"How did you know -"

"Because I'm a girl Peter," she answered as she finished her last nail. "And because I overheard Alice Cooper muttering something about the end of the world as we know it."

"You have fantastic hearing darling," Peter grinned as he showered her with unnecessary compliments. "You would be an excellent spy."

"Me? A spy?" Aeryn laughed and then blew air over her nails. She shook her hands and then blew again. "I don't think so. I'd be much safer behind a Ministry desk. Besides, I don't know everything going on in this castle. For example, I don't know why Remus is acting like such a stroppy cow." She looked up at him as she began her second coat. "Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

"He hasn't said anything to us," Peter answered mournfully as he leaned back in his armchair.

It was true. The boys first noticed something was wrong with their werewolf friend shortly after he came back from his recent Hogsmeade outing with Marianne Minot. They tried to ask him what was wrong but he evaded their questions, saying he needed to focus on the upcoming full moon. It wasn't until after Remus' monthly transformation that they knew something was truly amiss. He didn't attack them, only himself. Peter shuddered as he remembered when the assistant nurse had peeled back all his bandages the day after. Remus had sent himself through the ringer.

If he told Aeryn this, she would have pushed him to investigate further to uncover the truth but he couldn't tell her for two simple reasons. First, she didn't know anything about the boy's lycanthropy and Peter was not about to spill that secret. But moreover, Remus had invoked a sacred Marauder law when they finally cornered him and demanded to know what was going on – if someone says back off, you had to back off. Peter remembered when Sirius had invented the rule after coming back from his Winter Holiday at his parents' house during their fourth year. Sometimes, they agreed, a Marauder just needed space to think without his friends' input. However, there was a time limit to the agreement. The Marauder in question only had until the end of the term to remain silent before the others had the right to ask again. It was finally November, which meant that Remus only had until mid December to keep his secret.

Peter twitched. He hated waiting.

"Is it his mother?" Aeryn asked, slicing through his thoughts. "You don't have to tell me the details."

"I said I have no idea Aeryn," Peter responded, rolling his eyes.

"Fine," she huffed as she finished her second coat of red polish. "But you _do_ know how you pulled off your Halloween prank. How on earth did you manage to have everyone's costume turn into their opposite?"

"We figured out how to cast a massive, complex switching jinx," Peter grinned, thankful that someone had noticed their meticulous dedication to humor. "It only really worked with those who had extreme costumes. That's why we picked such neutral ones to wear. Except for James. He actually _wanted_ to switch from a student to a teacher just so he could sit at the Professors' table in the Great Hall." He sighed and smiled with a glazed look in his eyes. "Man, that was a good prank, wasn't it? I'll never forget the look on Narcissa Black's face when she realized her witch costume had turned into modern muggle clothing."

"Well it serves Rose Smythe right for dressing up like an angel. Everyone knows she's been a hotheaded devil ever since Sirius and Gemma starting seeing each other."

"Well yeah, but Miranda Fletcher's change was even better. She went from a young girl's doll to an adult sex toy."

"She probably didn't mind the male attention," Aeryn grumbled as she looked over her work. "She's a whore."

"Aeryn!"

"What? You know I've hated her ever since she yelled at me during our first match of the season. But I'm not wrong you know. I have it on good authority that she's slept with half the castle."

The pair continued to playfully gossip and bicker as the sun slowly began to lower itself towards the horizon. Students bustled in and out of the common room, but neither Gryffindor seemed to notice. They were too entrenched in their own conversation. Peter finally threw a glance out the window next to him and sighed as he looked at the yellow, pink, orange, blue and violet hued sunset reflected across the Black Lake. He marveled in the landscape's natural beauty. His fingers automatically found their way to his pocket and after a quick inventory check, he counted three cigarettes left in his packet. He grimaced. He'd only had ten left this morning.

"I'm going to have a smoke dear."

"Oh Peter," Aeryn wined. "I do wish you'd stop. It's such a disgusting habit."

"Well it's an addicting habit," he replied as he got up from his seat, "nothing I can change about that. I'll catch you later. We've got another prank to set up tonight so I won't be back until the wee hours of the morning." She beamed as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Be careful! And remember to make Fletcher's life a living hell for me!"

"I'll do my best," Peter chuckled as he ruffled her hair playfully before exiting the common room. He trotted down the enchanted staircases and exited the castle by the back doors, which led to the greenhouses. Once he settled on a stone bench on the left side of the abandoned courtyard, he fished a cigarette out of his pocket. The boy lifted his wand and muttered a spell. His cigarette caught on fire and he immediately sucked in the smoke. Relief flooded through him and he leaned back against the stone column behind him.

Suddenly, Peter heard an odd clacking sound that disturbed his cigarette-induced serenity. He scrunched his brows together and peaked his head around the column to check if anyone was there. He took another drag when he realized he was still alone in the courtyard. He must have been hearing things. However, the sound continued softly and then progressively got louder. Peter's nerves began to buzz through his system when he whipped around to his right. Nothing. Yet, just as suddenly as it came, the sound stopped. He sighed deeply as he exhaled. Everything was going to be fine, he told himself as he turned back to his original position. He was still alone.

However, his cigarette dropped out of his mouth when he realized Luciana Rosier was standing in front of him.

"Hello Peter," she purred. "Got a light?"

He was speechless. The Slytherin's long dark hair was pulled into an effortless chignon and her eyes were rimmed with black kohl. Although she was wearing the standard issued Hogwarts uniform, a couple of the top buttons on her white shirt were undone. He tried not to look at her tantalizing cleavage, but found that her legs were equally distracting. She tapped her foot impatiently and Peter realized that her heeled boots were the source of the earlier clacking. He quickly picked his cigarette off the ground and placed it back in his mouth.

Where had she come from? And why the fuck did she want to talk to him?

"I'm _waiting_," Luciana drawled as she pulled out a cigarette from beneath her robes and put it between her lips. She leaned down towards him and he found he had no choice but to immediately mutter a spell to light the tip of her cigarette. She took a deep inhale and smiled gratefully.

As the pureblood slyly sat down on the other side of the bench, Peter realized that his promise ring felt heavy on his left hand. He glanced down at the silver band and then back at his new companion. He gulped nervously. Luciana Rosier had previously been a figment of his imagination – the subject of his daydreams - but now she was next to him, looking at him hungrily as she blew smoke in his direction, and he had no idea what to do.

Peter felt his hand shake as he lifted his cigarette back to his mouth. He couldn't bring in a third party to solve his dilemma; she wasn't breaking any rules so he couldn't report her to a prefect. He thought about taking the Sirius route, which entailed cursing the living hell out of her so she would leave him alone. However, the Gryffindor quickly decided against it when she shifted her weight and revealed that she had tucked her wand into the waistband of her skirt. Luciana Rosier was an excellent dueler and would eat him alive if he tried to attack her. So that option was off the table too.

Luciana apparently didn't want to wait for his decision. Peter's eyes widened dramatically as she suddenly shifted her weight forward and crawled on all fours across the bench towards him. Her smirk was permanently etched on her face and he couldn't help but compare her to a snake hunting its prey. Yet, he couldn't look away. She was too enticing, too sexual. She made him want to throw off his promise ring and act on his carnal desires.

"So I hear you've promised yourself to Aeryn Miller," she sneered softly.

"I have," he finally squeaked.

"Such a shame," she sensually whispered in his ear as she took his hand and placed his pointer finger on her chest. "You _know_ I can love you better than she can. You should be with a _real_ woman Peter Pettigrew, not a young girl. You have so much potential. You should stop living in the past and start looking to your future. Your future with _me_."

Peter knew he should have questioned her motives and defended his relationship with Aeryn but he felt his brain turn to mush as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Her skin felt so smooth under his touch and his mind instantly wandered as her hot breath touched his earlobe. He desperately wanted to rip off her clothes and have her then and there on the stone bench beneath him. Peter didn't care that he was a virgin and had no idea what he was doing. He'd never felt such an overwhelming urge to dominate a woman. He was certainly miles away from his normal monogamous state of mind.

The Slytherin moved to capture his lips with her own when he heard something snap across the courtyard. His eyes flew open and he furtively glanced to his right to see that a passing bird had ripped a twig off a tree for its nest. The sound was enough to shatter Peter's sexual fantasy. He quickly jumped to his feet and threw his cigarette to the ground. He didn't care that her devious smile had turned into a menacing sneer. He did the only thing he knew how to do.

He ran for his life.

When he flew through the doors to the castle and rounded the corner, the Gryffindor immediately tucked into a secret passageway to catch his breath. He put a hand up against the wall and coughed several times, still not believing what had just happened. Was he dreaming? Would he wake up soon and forget the whole episode because it was a figment of his imagination?

Suddenly, his packet of cigarettes dropped out of his pocket onto the floor. He stopped panting and stared at them cautiously. Although the pack remained still, images of Luciana naked lying across a bed flashed across his line of sight. His unconscious desire told him to pick the cigarettes up and light one on fire but he instead put his shaking hand into his pocket.

Aeryn was right. He needed to stop smoking or else it would be the death of him.

* * *

**Author's note**: Ughhhhh I am so not happy with this chapter. Whatever.

I originally wanted to quote "The Bitch is Back" by Elton John but I went with "I Saw Her Standing There". I know it's a Beatles song from the 1960s but Elton and John Lennon played it live at Madison Square Garden in '74. It was Lennon's last live performance.

I still haven't come up with play bys for Peter and Aeryn but Luciana is Jennifer Lawrence with dark brown hair. So like Katniss, just more evil :D

Also, my updates are going to slow down from now on. I'm about to end my last semester of college – so that means I'll have finals, graduation and job hunting to deal with before I can get to this story. I'm also seeing Eric Clapton play live at Madison Square Garden so I'm super stoked for that. I'll be channeling my inner Marauder all night long! But I have to say, updating once a week (give or take) is pretty fast. So it won't be months before you can read the next chapter … just more like 2-3 weeks.

I've also put up a link to the Wide Awake playlist on my author's page. Now you can listen along to the music while you read the chapter! I've put up song titles for future chapters but they won't give anything away.

The next chapter is Sirius/Gemma. You'll like it XD


	13. Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)

**Disclaimer**: I used some more artistic license. I read the HP Wiki page on Seers and tried to stay as true to the books as I could, but I added some uncanon details for plot purposes.

* * *

"_All in all you're just another brick in the wall._" – Pink Floyd, 1979

* * *

Sirius Black knew the exact location of every freckle on Gemma Rawnsley's body but still felt the same intense desire every time she took off her clothes. She was a breath of fresh air and he couldn't help but continually crave her ethereal spirit. Her joyous giggles and playful nature literally made him weak in the knees. As Sirius began to kiss the side of her neck, he inhaled her cinnamon scent. She smelled delicious. He softly pushed her against the pillows on his bed and hastily whipped the curtains closed. The Marauder had warned his friends not to come into their dorm room for at least another hour but he didn't want to take any chances.

Yet, as he hovered over her to resume his nuzzling, she yawned loudly.

"Gemma?"

"S-sorry!" she apologized and quickly tried to cover up another yawn. "Right, let's try this again. Oh _Sirius_!"

"It doesn't work that way," he grumbled as he turned over onto his back. "Now it sounds like I'm _forcing_ you to have sex with me."

"Don't be silly," she laughed. "I always love a good tumble in the sheets with you … just not right now. I'm too exhausted to move. I haven't been sleeping well, I barely got up for class this morning."

"I would have woken you up on time," he cajoled softly in her ear.

"No, you would have made it even harder to get out of bed," she teased as she turned onto her side and lightheartedly kissed him on his cheek. She then began to twirl his long black hair with her fingers. "I know you want me to stay here but I can't do it every night. It would disrupt my dream cycle and it's already pretty fucked up."

"I don't get it," Sirius said, scrunching his eyebrows as he turned to face her.

"Ok," she began but then suddenly stopped. She glanced upwards and bit her lip. "Ok, let's see if I can explain this properly. Every Seer has a special way of interpreting time. For instance, Professor Garside specializes in fire-omens while the previous Divination Professor could look into her crystal ball and tell you anything you wanted to know. But me? I work with _dreams_, baby. When I go to sleep, I see crazy shit. The future, the past - doesn't matter. It's all there in my head."

"So what have you seen involving me?" he grinned. "If I constantly dream about you, you have to be doing the same about me."

"Well that's the thing," she answered sheepishly as she unknowingly scratched the back of her head, "I'm not very good at interpreting the things I see. I just get flashes and snippets in time. Everything is hazy and unclear."

"Ask your Professor to help interpret your visions then."

"Professor Garside doesn't specialize in oneiromancy, remember? He's only here because Dumbledore funds his ongoing research on fire Divination. He tells me over and over again to read _The Dream Oracle_ because he's too busy with his workload. But it's just a textbook we have to read to pass our OWLs. It doesn't really go into a whole lot of detail."

"So you've never figured any of your dreams out before?"

"Well, yes and no."

" 'The fuck does that mean?" Sirius growled. A large wave of annoyance crashed over him.

"Calm down Sirius," she responded, rolling her eyes. "I only meant that it depends on what size dream we're talking about."

"There are different dream sizes?" he asked scathingly.

"Merlin, I knew most people didn't pay attention in Divination but I thought you'd at least know the basic facts," she muttered as she crossed her arms. "I see two sizes of dreams – some are small, some are big. I can deal with the small dreams. They make up most of my nightly visions and have very simple theoretical designs. I usually don't pay attention to their meanings though. They are like background noise, if you catch my drift. The big dreams, on the other hand, are fucking destructive. They disrupt my circadian rhythms and my visions start to spin out of control. So no, I've never been able to fully understand a big dream on my own before. I usually bounce my theories off Gio but I'm still very new to this whole 'interpreting' thing."

"… So you can't sleep in my bed because you think you'll get nightmares."

"I _know_ I'll have nightmares."

"Huh?" Sirius questioned. "How can you -"

"Because I've already had them here before," she muttered, looking away from him. He immediately reached out and grabbed her bare shoulder. She inhaled sharply and shook under his touch. He eyed her quizzically as his hand slowly slipped back to his side.

"Gemma, what exactly did you see?"

"I can't tell you."

"What do you mean you can't tell me?" Sirius snapped as his mood turned from understanding to accusatory. He immediately felt the green-eyed monster inside him roar to life. "You said you bounce your ideas off Gio … so why can't you do the same with me? Is it because you think I'm stupid? No, it has to be something more than that. It's because you _love_ him, isn't it? You -"

"_Sirius_!" Gemma cried out desperately, her eyes wild and chaotic as she reached her arms towards him. "Sirius, stop it!"

In a fit of rage, the Gryffindor swatted her hands away and immediately flipped over onto his other side. His breaths were rough and strained as he grabbed the nearest pillow and violently wrapped his arms around it. As he started to rock back and forth, he convinced himself that she was lying to him. She had to love her best friend Giovanni. It was the only explanation for why she would be holding back her inner feelings. She was running away from him again and breaking her promise. Something deep inside him ached as he began to see red.

As he crushed the pillow with his vice grip, he suddenly felt Gemma's cold hand on his shoulder. It slipped down around his torso and she pressed her bare chest to his back as she nuzzled her face in his neck. Chills ran down his spine and his anger instantly vanished when he felt hot tears trickle onto his cheek.

"I love you Sirius Black," Gemma whispered into his ear, "and I don't understand why you think I don't."

"But you're still not going to tell me your dream, are you?" Sirius asked mournfully as he turned over to face her. She frowned and he slowly reached out and wiped several tears from her face. She looked so broken and unhappy and Sirius couldn't help but hate himself for turning her exuberant psyche into a blubbering mess.

"It's not because I don't want to let you in," the Hufflepuff murmured as she wrapped her hand around his outstretched arm, "I just want to keep this big dream to myself. I've been connected to someone's painful past and I don't want to reveal his identity. I have no bloody clue who the person is but I'm sure as hell not trying to get him killed. I have to figure this one out by myself."

She bit her lip and then looked away as her lips formed a sharp, angry frown.

"I'm not even telling Gio about what I've seen, if that makes you feel any better."

"Oh Gemma," the Marauder pleaded as he stroked her cheek softly, "I'm sorry -"

"No," she answered as she shook her head gently, "no I get it. You want me to open up, right? Well fine. I'll open up." She huffed audibly as another fat tear rolled down her cheek. "Before you came along, I only messed around with muggle boys I'd meet at my parents' club. That's why I don't sleep with wizards – I don't want to risk running into them again. So I'd meet blokes during shows, go out for a smoke, have a little fun, and then disappear. And that's what I thought was going to happen when things turned groovy between us, given your reputation. That's why I shagged you without hesitation. I thought we'd have a night of fun and then go on with our lives. But that didn't happen."

Sirius couldn't help but nod in agreement. He sucked in a deep breath, transfixed by her words, and realized that everything she said rang true for him as well.

"I fell in love with you that night," she sighed, "but refused to admit it for a very long time. And I did the only thing I knew how to do to do – I ran. And I'm sorry for that. But I couldn't go on without you in my life. I still can't. You're everythingto me Sirius. I've never been this loyal to anyone before, not even my parents."

"Well I've never been very loyal to my parents, so I can't say the same," Sirius chuckled as he slowly felt the tension leave the room. He snaked a hand around Gemma's waist and her pink lips formed a beaming smile. "But I can tell you that I've never felt this way before either. You're _electric_ baby."

"_Meow_," Gemma purred and then burst into a fit of giggles. "Well you triggered a sizeable amount of big dreams, you know."

"I did?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes," she smiled as she laced her fingers through his, "yes you did. And do you know what Gio said when I told him that I was dreaming about a large black dog? He said I fancied you even though I didn't want to admit it and that I should stop running." Her smile turned into a slight scowl as she shoved him roughly. "So don't you ever fucking say that I love Giovanni. You're the one I love, you idiot!"

"You're absolutely right," Sirius said. His words dripped with sorrow and remorse; he felt horrible for letting his jealousy get out of control when she clearly wasn't going to leave him. "And I am a complete and utter fool for doubting you. Can you forgive me?"

"_Well_," she answered deviously as color returned to her cheeks, "I might have to inflict some punishment before I can do that."

"Punishment, eh?" Sirius said and his senses perked up immediately. His inner canine wagged its tail furiously with excitement.

"You have to run down to the kitchens and fetch me a mushroom and swiss cheese omelet with a side of cheesecake," the Hufflepuff smirked as she rolled over onto her other side and curled into a ball. "And I'm going to catch up on my sleep while you do. Oh and be a doll and get me some green tea too, ok? Love you!"

Although he would have preferred a more sexual sentence, he couldn't help but grin as she yawned loudly and closed her swollen eyes. He kissed the top of her head and then muttered "I love you" several times in her ear. She laughed lightly and told him to hurry as he threw on a white t-shirt and a pair of denim jeans. He glanced at his now snoring girlfriend before shuffling down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.

"You were that quick, eh Padfoot?" James Potter called out from the other side of the room. "You always said you were the master lover and I never believed you until now."

Sirius couldn't help but let out a loud, barking laugh as he trotted over to join his best friends. Peter was playing the Head Boy in a game of exploding snap and Remus sat on the windowsill, staring aimless out at the grounds. Sirius grimaced. He hated seeing his werewolf friend this depressed but obeyed the sacred Marauder law. He plopped into an open chair and swung his legs over the armrest.

"We actually had a bit of a row," he explained. "And since I was being a stupid git, I'm supposed to run down to the kitchens for her while she snoozes."

"You survived your first fight?" Peter asked incredulously as he put another card on the table. "I think that's a first."

"I'm not surprised. He loves her," Remus added softly from his perch. Sirius still heard the distress in his voice. "

"Well of course he loves her," James joked as he continued playing the card game. "He's going down to the kitchens to get her a second dinner!"

"I can't help that Gemma has weird eating habits," the pureblood countered as he shoved the Head Boy playfully. Seconds later, one of the cards in his hand exploded and Sirius almost died laughing at James' untidy and burnt hair.

"You filthy bugger! You cost me the game!" the boy cried as he lunged and tried to tackle his best friend. Sirius quickly jumped out of his chair and sidestepped the attack. James immediately fell onto the floor and moaned in pain as his head smacked the carpet.

"Man, you need to work on your Quidditch reflexes Prongs. I'll get you some ice," Sirius cackled as he swiftly plucked the Marauder's Map out of James' back pocket. "Be back in a sec. Gemma's passed out in my bed but I swear that girl can sleep through anything so don't hesitate to go up there."

Before James could retaliate and trip him, Sirius swiftly exited the common room and made his way down to the kitchens. He knew the route by heart and yearned to run recklessly without the Map's guidance. However, his sensible side prevailed and he cautiously roamed the halls until he reached the kitchens. After tickling his favorite portrait, the Marauder greeted the Hogwarts house elves graciously and placed his off the wall order. They eagerly whipped up a glorious feast and Sirius made sure to properly say goodbye to each and everyone of them before he returned to the halls once again. His good humor clouded his judgment and he carelessly carried Gemma's meal in his hands instead of paying attention to the Map.

"Well, if it isn't the _traitor_."

The Gryffindor immediately whipped around and thoughtlessly dropped his girlfriend's entire midnight snack onto the floor. His right hand grabbed his wand out of his pocket without delay as Rabastan Lestrange cackled maniacally. Behind him, Thorfinn Rowe clapped eagerly and Serverus Snape let out a soft hissing noise. Sirius felt his fury quadruple when he saw that his younger brother, Regulus Black, was with them as well. They were standing in front of one of the exits to Hogsmeade and Sirius instantly knew they were up to something sinister.

"What are lot doing out after hours?" he sneered.

"Oh, you know," Thorfinn answered with a deep laugh, "same reason as you. We couldn't sleep." He punctuated the last two words with air quotations.

"I can sleep just fine thank you very much."

"Looks like you've been to the kitchens," Serverus scoffed as he puffed out his chest and motioned to the ruined meal on the floor.

"Congratulations Sniv, you have eyes," Sirius replied mockingly.

"What an odd assortment," Regulus pondered quizzically and dramatically placed a hand to his chin. "Tell me brother, when did you suddenly start craving cheesecake? If I remember correctly, you refused to eat it a couple Christmases ago and told Mother to shove it up her nose. And green tea? Now, that's peculiar. You never liked that either … wait a second, does this mean the rumors are true? Has the little bitch really made you her errand boy?"

Sirius felt his fury consume him. Although he could tolerate the other Slytherins' jeers, his brother's words always stung the most. Painful memories flooded his brain – his mother sending him seven howlers after he'd been sorted into Gryffindor, his father striking him when he told him he was a fucking bastard straight to his face, Regulus remaining silent as he dodged several killing curses during his great escape to the Potter's house this summer - and Sirius relived his entire childhood in a matter of seconds.

"_Fuck_ you," he spat. "You're nothing but pawn – useless and expendable."

His taunt trigged an all out assault. Sirius quickly dodged several spells and ducked around the nearest corner. He launched several curses at the bellicose Slytherins and cackled when he finally hit Thorfinn in the chest with a stinging hex.

"Gotcha, you asshole! Now who's next?"

"FOR MERLIN'S SAKE, STOP THIS BLOODY _INSANITY_!"

The boys instantly froze when they realized that the loud angry voice belonged to the seventh year Ravenclaw prefect, Marianne Minot.

"I had a funny feeling I'd run into trouble tonight," she muttered as she lightly rubbed her temples and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Now you boys know the drill. Five points for being out of bed after hours, ten points for fighting. Each. Now scram before I dock more from your houses." As she huffed loudly, Sirius couldn't help but notice that she looked uncharacteristically frazzled; her school robes were extremely wrinkled and her hair looked frayed and untidy.

The Slytherins grumbled but Marianne refused to budge and tapped her foot impatiently. They eventually caved to the girl's authority and jammed their wand into their pockets. Before he turned to leave, Regulus returned Sirius' fierce glare and the Gryffindor snapped his teeth menacingly. Marianne stepped in before his brother had the chance to retaliate.

"That's it!" she exclaimed as she pushed the two Blacks apart. "Five more points for each of you. Now if you don't return to your common rooms this instant, I will give you all a month's detention with Professor Slughorn. He's got a _lot_ of dirty cauldrons."

After eyeing Marianne hungrily, Rabastan clucked his tongue and motioned for his housemates to follow him down to the dungeons. The Prefect let out a huge sigh and raised her brow when she realized that she was not alone like she thought.

"You too Sirius."

"Yes ma'am," he whispered hoarsely. The boy's anger suddenly morphed into a sharp, throbbing sadness. He put his wand back into the pocket of his jeans and hung his head mournfully before heading back to the kitchens to ask the house elves to repeat their earlier efforts.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Ok, so I lied. I was able to get this one off pretty quickly because I FREAKING LOVE SIRIUS/GEMMA. It's not 100% perfect but I don't have time to put the finishing touches on it.

I've looked at my schedule and I am literally going to be writing papers/studying/taking finals every day for the two weeks. And then I graduate and make the long 3 day drive back to my hometown of San Francisco. The ride should provide me with enough time to write but the next update will definitely not be out until the second week of May.

BUT YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE IT BECAUSE IT INVOLVES JILY AND SOMETHING REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT HAPPENS.

:D


	14. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours

"_Signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."_ – Stevie Wonder, 1970

* * *

James Potter nervously picked at his nails and then subsequently forced them into his mouth. His teeth chattered anxiously as he began to chew on his cuticles.

Where the _hell_ was Lily Evans?

The rest of the prefects in the room impatiently bided their time as they waited for the Head Girl to finally show her face. A couple of Slytherins guffawed as Rabastan Lestrange told an extremely racy joke about Russian muggles and a light bulb. In response, Thomas Weir scoffed loudly and his sixth year Ravenclaw counterpart, Hildie Waltz, rolled her eyes. Rabastan slyly pulled out his wand to secretly retaliate when he caught Marianne Minot's wandering, dazed gaze. He grinned at her manically and quickly put his wand into his pocket. She closed her tired eyes and rubbed her temples, not acknowledging his presence any further.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Lily Evans burst into the room, looking like an absolute mess. James' anxiety immediately disappeared and he took a deep breath. However, he noted that the Head Girl's school uniform was wrinkled and askew. Her thick wool socks didn't match and she had thrown all of her tangled red hair under a large black knitted cap. Lily's hand flew to her chest. She pounded it noisily and a hacking cough rattled her petite frame. She took a second to catch her breath and then sniffled loudly. Spontaneous discussions erupted amongst the other students as she shuffled towards the front of the room to take her seat.

"Alright, alright," James exclaimed after thumping the table loudly to get everyone's attention. "Time to settle down and get this meeting started. We don't want to be here all night."

The boisterous side conversations slowly calmed down to quiet murmurs and the students in the room directed their eyes towards the Head Boy and Girl. James cleared his throat and apprehensively shuffled a couple of papers back and forth across his desk. He snuck a glance at Lily as she sneezed loudly into the crook of her arm. She paused before pulling out a tissue and groaning miserably.

His heart immediately swelled with concern. James knew something was wrong the moment she failed to show up half and hour early but he never would have guessed that she was late due to an illness. Since he had basically stalked her for the past seven years, he knew that Lily Evans never got sick. Ever. She vigilantly tried to avoid the Hospital Wing at all costs and her stubbornness resulted in an extremely healthy lifestyle … but now, she was in no condition to be out of bed, let alone running a prefects' meeting. She looked extremely flustered as she pulled her school bag onto the table and sighed heavily.

"Let's review the calendar," the lioness finally croaked. She wrapped her Gryffindor scarf tighter around her neck and then sniffled. James finally locked eyes with her and caught her fleeting, painful expression. She looked absolutely abysmal. Slowly, the boy felt the familiar magnetic pull he always encountered when he was around his first and only crush. Even though she currently resembled a lowly mountain troll, James Potter still found Lily Evans to be the most gorgeous woman in the world. However, her demeanor quickly changed and she threw him look that said "If you don't start this meeting, I will keel over and die and then likely figure out a way to kill you from the afterlife".

James had to stop himself from laughing. Now _there_ was the Lily Evans he knew and loved.

"Are you really fit to be here Evans?" Zidane Zito, the sixth year Gryffindor prefect, asked. "You look terrible." The rest of the room tittered in response; clearly the other students shared Zito's sentiment.

"I'm fine," Lily answered after wiping her nose with another tissue. "Really."

The prefects sniggered once again and James bit his lip as Lily attempted to control them with her hoarse voice. He finally put two and two together and realized that she was falling into a downward spiral; her illness only confirmed his suspicions that she was in the middle of an emotional crisis. She had been acting weird for weeks now. He didn't know what was triggering her erratic behavior but he longed to wrap his arms around her and tell her that everything was going to be all right. That she had someone to lean on to help shoulder whatever burden she was carrying.

He gulped, remembering his promise to her at the beginning of the term. So far, he'd kept his word and left her alone, even though he had desperately wanted to punch Walter Davies several times in the face for taking her to Hogsmeade. But as she sniffled again, James decided that enough was enough. He was tired of watching from the sidelines. Besides, it was absurd for her to be out in the cold December air when she was already coming down with the flu.

"Let me take over so you can go back to your bed," he murmured softly as the rest of the prefects continued their own personal conversations.

"No!" she hissed sharply. "I'm not going anywhere. I am Head Girl and I should be here!"

"_Merlin_," James muttered to himself. He was trying to offer her an olive branch and she was refusing to budge. She was not making this easy for him, was she? "Fine. You can stay here but _please_ let me do all the talking. You're starting to sound like a frog."

Lily's face froze in shock. She clearly took his joke to be an insult and in a panic, James started to backpedal clumsily.

"Well not one of those gross frogs you find by the Black Lake. You're … a very beautiful frog! With a sexy, raspy voice …"

Her jaw dropped sharply and James couldn't believe he'd just blurted out his inner, erotic train of thought. His eyes widened significantly and in an attempt to divert the conversation away from his large moment of weakness, he thumped his fist against the table to silence the room.

"Ok, settle down now," he began shakily as he tried not to look at Lily's stunned expression. "The next big event is the Hufflepuff Slytherin Quidditch match on Thursday afternoon. It starts at 4 pm but I'd like all the seventh years to be there an hour beforehand to inspect the pitch. Your teachers will excuse you from your classes."

Although James hated the new regulations, he had to order a full inspection of the school Quidditch stadium before each match to look for any signs of cheating. After Gryffindor thoroughly trounced Ravenclaw two weeks ago, Walter Davies raised enough support to demand a full examination prior to each match. He was convinced that the Gryffindor captain was still somehow cheating. That was the only explanation for his team's massive success. James had nothing to hide and therefore granted his wish. He hated the boy but did not want to seem guilty.

"_Ahem_," Donna Jordan, a sixth year Hufflepuff, interrupted as she held up a bright yellow button in the air. "I'd like the bring up the issue of these pins? Someone is making these to bully one of our players." She quickly threw it towards the front of the room and James caught it with ease. He took a few seconds to examine the small plastic button, which had a nasty pun using the words "Puff" and "Poof" written on the front.

Meanwhile, Lily Evans covered her mouth and burst into a fit of coughs as the rest of the room fell silent and listened to her exercise her lungs.

"You can't prove that they were made by us," Reginald Parkinson, a sixth year Slytherin, finally retorted when all eyes landed on his housemates.

"I'll alert the Headmaster, Donna," James cut in before the spat could continue. "We're going to take these pins very seriously but we can't do anything until we launch a formal investigation to figure out who the culprit is. But I promise you it will be taken care of. Now, the next event after that is our second Hogsmeade weekend of the term. It's supposed to snow pretty heavily tomorrow night so the sixth years need to help clear the paths to the village."

The students groaned loudly and Lily sneezed just as noisily.

"Awww, come on!"

"Do we have to?"

"It will take you two seconds to do," James countered. "One swish and flick."

"It takes _you_ two seconds," Reginald moaned. "We haven't learned enough advanced magic to move entire snow drifts."

"Speak for yourself," Thomas Weir sneered and before the two could start tearing each other apart, James thumped his fist against the table once more.

"Ok, settle down you two, let's get back on track here. Only a couple more things to talk about before we can all leave. Once the sixth years clear the way, the rest of us will head to Hogsmeade with Professors Artro and Stotch the day before to inspect for anything suspicious. There has been a sharp rise in muggle attacks and I would hate for that to spread to our students. So we have to remain vigilant and prepare for the unexpected. All hands on deck."

"What could possibly go wrong?" asked one of the male students. "Everyone knows that the second Hogsmeade weekend is a chance for the girls to purchase their Winter Ball gowns and the guys to stock up on sweets and Zonkos products."

"It is not!" Hildie Waltz exclaimed. "We single girls always order our dresses afterwards! The school has never announced the Winter Ball date before the second Hogsmeade weekend so we never know whom we have to match with. And you can't just buy a dress and force a bloke to match with you after he asks you. He'll resent you! So only girls with _boyfriends_ can buy dresses at Hogsmeade because they already know whom they are going with. It's bloody unfair, if you ask me! We never get to try our outfits on, we just have to hope they fit!"

"Yeah!"

"Tell 'em Hildie!"

"I have no idea what you just said," Zidane Zito whispered incredulously.

"That's because you don't speak teenage girl," Rabastan Lestrange mocked from the other side of the room.

"Well, why don't we just announce the Ball next Monday?" James responded, clearly confused why the problem hadn't been solved before. "That way there will be enough time for people to ask each other so that _all _the girls can shop for their dresses at Hogsmeade. Does that make everyone happy?"

"No!" Thomas Weir spouted before glaring at James. "If you announce the Ball before the second Hogsmeade weekend, you will be breaking with _tradition_."

"And that's a problem?" James questioned as he raised one of his brows. The students immediately broke out into side conversations; the girls praised James for his liberal interpretation of the scheduling rituals and the boys grumbled about having to finds dates earlier than they expected. Next to him, Lily sniffled loudly and wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve.

"I think we should put it to a vote," Thomas growled.

"You're not going to win," Hildie spat, grimacing at her prefect companion.

James immediately quieted everyone down and called for a vote. Each of the students tucked their head between their arms on the tops of their desks and raised their hand when James called "Yes" and "No". All of the girls voted for the schedule change and a handful of males – himself included - joined their cause, which left Thomas, some younger students and the Slytherins in the minority.

"The motion passes," James exclaimed. "We will announce the Winter Ball details next Monday!"

"Yes!" Hildie whooped and then high fived her best friend Lavinia Cartwright, a sixth year Gryffindor. The other girls in the room rejoiced similarly and Thomas huffed and rolled his eyes. James knew the boy hated to be told what to do and he couldn't help but be a little joyous that the Ravenclaw wasn't getting his wish. His pretentious nature was starting to rub James the wrong way.

"Well, you've certainly set a precedent for yourself, haven't you Potter?" Rabastan Lestrange drawled from the back of the classroom. "Your whole reign as Head Boy has been one change after another. Tell me, what do you have planned for the Winter Ball? I've never actually been to one your Marauder parties before but I hear you _always_ have a surprise planned."

"Yeah!"

"What are you going to do James?"

"Are you going to enchant the portraits to serenade us, like that one time last year?"

"Is Professor Slughorn going to do his drunken jig in front of everyone again?"

The rest of the prefects buzzed with excitement as they recounted the Marauders' past party tricks. Soon, all of their eyes landed on him and James tried to think on his feet to brilliantly answer Rabastan's taunt. The statues could ask any unaccompanied student to dance. No, he thought, that wasn't risky enough. He had to do something that required meticulous planning and demanded respect. He had to do something like smuggling in booze from Hogsmeade in order to spike the punch – a feat the Marauders had pulled off during their fourth year.

Suddenly, James realized what Rabastan was trying to do. All of his past surprises had managed to break the rules. The Slytherin's challenge forced him to go out of his way to make the Ball a great success in order to keep his Marauder reputation but laid down extreme parameters. The Head Boy could not be seen breaking the rules but he still had to dazzle the rest of the castle with his brilliant idea.

"_Ahem_," Lily Evans finally piped up as she cleared her throat. She sniffled loudly and then continued. "James and I have already discussed this. We're going to have a live performance."

James' eyes popped out of his sockets in shock. They had barely spoken to each other since their spat at the beginning of the term after she caught him throwing an illegal party … so why was Lily Evans trying to help him by claiming they had already solved Rabastan's issue?

"Well that's not very original," Rabastan scoffed and the other Slytherins around him laughed quietly. "The Hogwarts Orchestra always plays each Winter Ball. I expected something more thrilling than that."

The Head Boy tugged on his collar nervously. He didn't understand Lily's attempt to save him but her lie seemed to have some traction with their audience. Yet, he suddenly wished she hadn't said anything at all. Her suggestion was rather tame and he could hear some of the students muttering that he had gone soft. He internally groaned as his hard earned reputation slowly began to wither away.

"No," Lily began but then fell into a string of deep, hacking coughs. When she finally stopped, she took a deep breath and then finished her sentence. "We're going to have a _rock_ _concert_. Here in the Great Hall. On December 19th."

The room burst into a frenzy; even Rabastan's eyebrows popped up in surprise. It was true that Professor Flitwick and his extra curricular Orchestra Club played every year but they always put the students to sleep with their monotone musical selections. The prospect of a modern rock band thrilled the other prefects beyond belief. It was the perfect solution to Rabastan's challenge; it broke with tradition but still adhered to the school's ironclad rules. James felt so elated that he had to physically stop himself from kissing Lily fully on the mouth.

"Who's going to play?" Zidane Zito asked excitedly.

"Tarantellagra. They are a group of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. They've played around the castle before, if I'm not mistaken."

She expertly avoided James' shocked reaction next to her by strategically blowing her nose to the side. He couldn't believe his ears. Lily Evans was suggesting that a student rock band should play at the traditional Winter Ball and moreover, she was giving him all the credit for the idea. In truth, he knew she was drawing on his antics from the first party of the year when she mentioned Tarantellagra by name but he never expected her to actually suggest that they headline the Ball. He remained silent, still stunned at her tenacity.

It seemed that Lily Evans had finally removed the stick from her ass and loosened up.

"I would die if I could be in the front row, just below Giovanni Costa and his tight pants," Donna Jordan pleaded, her eyes turning misty with desire.

"Well I'm calling for another vote," Thomas Weir declared. "This is just too much change."

"Double or nothing," Hildie Waltz challenged again. "James Potter has great ideas and we support him. You're going down twice today."

The students willfully bowed their heads and twitched eagerly as they waited for James to call out "Yes" and "No" again. But the Head Boy couldn't keep his eyes off of the sick girl next to him. She tilted her head to the side in order to blow her nose again and froze when she caught his smoldering gaze. He tried his hardest to silently display his unending gratitude and Lily inhaled sharply a few seconds later. Her scrunched brow softened and her lips spread into a warm smile moments before she ungracefully sneezed into her hand.

"It looks like we're going to rock the house this year," James grinned seconds later after counting up all the votes. "Tarantellagra will officially be performing live at the Great Hall on December 19th."

Several students whooped with joy and Hildie stretched out to high five Donna Jordan triumphantly. The losers grumbled and muttered insults under their breaths but James Potter chose to block them out. He bobbed excitedly in his chair and longed to tell his friends about the good news. Suddenly, Lily fell into another coughing fit and he remembered that his companion was still suffering next to him. It was time to cut this meeting short so that he could force her to go to the Hospital Wing. It was the least he could do after she secretly saved his ass.

"Well, I don't think there's anything else that we need to go over right now," he proclaimed as he shuffled the papers in front of him. "I think we can all head back to our common rooms. Good night everyone! Oh … actually Evans, could you stay back for a moment? I need to talk to you. About official Heads business."

The rest of the students slowly trickled out of the classroom and Lily leaned back in her chair, finally relaxing for the first time that night. Several of her bright red hairs escaped from beneath her black cap as she tilted her head backwards and closed her eyes. When the last student finally left the room, she moaned appreciatively.

"Silence," she muttered as she opened her arms wide. "Beautiful silence."

"We have to get you to the Hospital Wing," James said in a concerned tone. "You're acting really weird. First you're late, then you save my skin in front of everybody and now you're acting like a loony old nutter. You haven't been yourself lately. You have to get some help."

"How would _you_ know that I haven't been myself lately?"

"Because I'm around you quite a bit Lily," James answered with a shrug of his shoulders, choosing to be honest rather than cocky, "and I can pick up on things. I know we aren't supposed to talk to each other, or even be friends, but I know something is wrong with you and I can't stand here anymore and pretend that I don't see it. I won't bother you but I still _care_ about you Lily Evans. I always will." He gave her a soft smile and then placed a hand on her shoulder to show that he wasn't lying to her. Their tender moment lasted for only a couple seconds and he slowly let his hand fall back to his side. He immediately grinned, letting his humorous side take over.

"Although I suppose I shouldn't be saying anything. You may be acting crazy – I mean, did you _really _just take a page out of the Marauders' book and suggest that a rock band should play the Winter Ball? - but you're uncharacteristically helping me out and making me look better. And I can't say no to that."

Suddenly, Lily Evans launched herself at him and forcefully pressed her lips against his. He faltered backwards in surprise but once he regained his balance, he reached out and tightly wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She continued to kiss him as if her life depended on it and snaked her arms around his torso. James shuttered with delight as her fingers roamed through his messy hair.

They continued to kiss for several minutes. James eventually pushed off her black cap and let his fingers tenderly run over her tresses down towards her shoulder blades. She softly and lovingly caressed the sides of his face and the Marauder started to see stars on the back of his closed eyelids. He couldn't believe that he was finally kissing _the_ Lily Evans. The girl he had been chasing for seven years. The girl who insulted him at every turn and rejected all of his advances.

But now she was kissing him with great heat and James concluded that she tasted like absolute heaven.

Lily finally pulled away and rested her forehead against his as she breathed deeply. James locked eyes with her and couldn't help but have a goofy grin plastered across his face. This was hands down the happiest moment of his life. Lily laughed softly and then suddenly scrunched up her face. She immediately turned her head to her side and sneeze into her elbow.

"I am totally going to get you sick!" she gasped after she regained her composure.

"I don't care," James replied dreamily. "I'd fight the Giant Squid if it meant I could kiss you again."

"God, you're such a horrible romantic sometimes," she chuckled, rolling her eyes with amusement. "I can't believe you called me a frog! Although, to your credit, it worked."

"It _did_?"

"Yes. It was the worst pick up line you've ever used on me but I could tell for the first time that you actually meant it. You really think my raspy sick voice is sexy, don't you?"

"Of course I do, everything about you is sexy! I've been telling you that for years!"

"But you always used recycled lines and horrible pranks to get my attention. It was forced and cocky. You sounded like an absolute douche bag every time you talked to me," Lily responded before sniffling deeply. She wiped under her eyes as they began to turn slightly red. "But the moment you called me a beautiful frog with a sexy voice, I knew you'd really changed. You left me alone for months, did everything I asked you to do, and when you finally cracked, you voiced your real thoughts and not some cheap imitation."

She reached out and placed a hand on his chest.

"I thought you were an overgrown child for the longest time but you've finally proved me wrong. You're a good man James Potter and I want to be your partner, not your enemy. I'm going absolutely crazy without you in my life. I _need_ you."

James immediately captured her lips once more kissed her with as much passion as he could muster. She responded just as eagerly and they continued to snog for several more minutes in the middle of the empty classroom. Thankfully no one walked in on them because they both wanted to avoid a public explanation for their sudden union.

"So Lily," James finally asked as he pulled away for air, "what color will your Winter Ball gown be?"

"Oh do shut up," Lily growled as she pushed herself against him once more and playfully smacked him in the chest. "The last thing I want to do is talk about dress colors. Now kiss me you toerag or I will hex you into next Tuesday!"

She didn't have to ask twice.

* * *

**Author's Note**: I'M BAAAAAAACK!

Omg, omg, omg. LILY AND JAMES ARE TOGETHERRRRRR :D Weeee, this chapter was so fun to write. I made it a bit longer because I haven't updated in a while, so I hope you like it.

I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update when I finally get a job, but in the meantime, I should be back to my normal schedule.

The next chapter will be in Remus' POV. And then everyone will be together for the ball!

:D :D :D


	15. Whipping Post

**Disclaimer**: A couple of you have asked for more of snarky, drunk Remus. So here you go :P

I considered writing his dialogue in "drunk speech" but I realized that it was too hard to decipher. So just read his lines with a very drunk voice! And Gemma's outfit is inspired by Janis Joplin's attire on the cover of her last album, _Pearl_.

I also don't own _Soul Train_, its catch phrases or the songs mentioned in this chapter.

* * *

"_Nothin' seems to change, bad times stay the same and I can't run. Sometimes I feel like I've been tied to the whipping post, good lord I feel like I'm dying._" – The Allman Brothers, 1971

* * *

Remus Lupin was drunk. _Extremely_ drunk.

He had been in the mood to get shitfaced and the sixth shot of firewhiskey had certainly sent him over the edge. His head pounded. He couldn't feel his feet. And even though his eyes were closed, he felt like his surroundings had turned into a gigantic vortex, spinning out of control. His stomach lurched but he barely had time to breathe as his lips attacked Marlene McKinnon's mouth and she eagerly kissed him back. The pair embraced in the corner of one of the older Astronomy Tower classrooms while the rest of the students around them raged to the live music. Remus didn't know how their relationship had progressed so quickly but one minute he was dancing with Marlene as Tarantellegra played acoustically on the makeshift stage in the front of the room and seconds later, she dragged him into the shadows for some serious snogging.

And he didn't protest. He was willing to do _anything_ to make the deep, throbbing pain in his chest go away.

"Moony."

He continued to kiss Marlene lazily, his tongue noticeably missing its mark.

" … Moony."

He barely registered the hand on his shoulder but assumed that Marlene was encouraging him to keep going. He tried to jam his tongue further down her throat, but her giggles forced him to abandon his mission. Instead, Remus' fingers fumbled with the buttons on her brown chiffon shirt and his lips travel down towards her luscious, soft neck.

"For fucks sake, man! _Remus!_"

Suddenly, he felt someone force him off the seventh year Ravenclaw with a strong shove and when he finally opened his eyes, Remus saw that James and Lily were standing in front of him with their mouths agape. Behind them, the small crowd of students that remained clapped their hands enthusiastically after the band finished their rendition of "Strange Brew" by the muggle British super group, Cream. The party was starting to wind down but the werewolf had no intention of stopping his quest for total intoxication and no one could persuade him otherwise.

"We're leaving," James stated dumbly, still in shock that his best friend was so uncharacteristically inebriated. Beside him, Lily sniffled deeply. "Padfoot said he'd take care of the mess when everyone finally goes back to their common rooms."

"Ah," Remus retorted, his words starting to slur together as James sneezed loudly, "You two lovebirds got each other sick, now didn't you? How cute. Yes, of _course_ you have to leave early. And besides, the Head Boy and Girl can't be seen _breaking the rules _any longer."

Lily sucked in a sharp breath, physically alarmed at his snappy response. James quickly reached out, grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers to steady her.

"Remmy," Marlene cooed in his ear as she wrapped her arms around his waist and the sandy haired Marauder was temporarily derailed from his intoxicated train of thought, "I've got to run as well. Cassy is waiting." Before he could get a word out, the Ravenclaw stood up on her tippy toes and captured his mouth once more. Remus voraciously responded, failing to see James and Lily rolling their eyes in disgust.

"Bye then," he said impassively when they both finally came up for air.

"Listen," she muttered playfully into his ear after she tugged at his lobe with her teeth, "since we had such a good time tonight, d'ya want to go to the Ball with me?"

"Sure," Remus grinned wolfishly, the alcohol clearly taking control of his words and actions.

"Great. 'Night Remmy."

"_Remmy_?" James sputtered once the girl sauntered back to her best friend, Dorcas Meadows, who didn't look very happy since she had been without her drinking buddy for the past hour. "Who the bloody hell is _Remmy_?"

"Well me, of course," Remus responded, rolling his eyes as he turned towards the table next to him. He reached out for one of the half empty bottles of firewhiskey and James quickly snatched it out of his hand before he could press the container to his lips. Remus growled stubbornly but the Head Boy didn't budge.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" the boy cried as he tried to rip the bottle out of his friend's hands. "Let me have the whiskey, you wanker!"

"You know I can't, Moony. You're drunk."

"Yes. I am certainly drunk. But I _did_ just get a girl to ask me to the Winter Ball without lifting a finger so I want to _celebrate_."

"Merlin, a girl who Padfoot shagged when he was 15! She's the village bicycle -"

"She is not! Ok, wait. Wait. She _probably_ has more experience than most girls in this castle - "

"Remus," Lily finally cut in, placing a hand on his outstretched arm, "I think you've had enough."

The werewolf sighed and finally stopped trying to fight against Hogwarts' ultimate power couple. As the band started up again and Gio's raspy voice sang the opening lyrics to The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", Remus silently watched as Lily's hand fell to her side and then subsequently grasped James' fingers again. Something deep inside him began to ache when he realized that he was being a complete arse; this was the first time Lily had ever been to an illegal Marauders' party and here he was, making fun of the both of them for being out after hours instead of congratulating them on their budding relationship. As James wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist, Remus huffed and ran a hand through his long hair.

"I'm sorry. I'll help Padfoot clean everything up later. I'm being a complete git."

"Yes. Yes, you are," James responded, narrowing his eyes as he placed the bottle back on the table. "You know, you've been acting like an absolute prat ever since the last Hogsmeade weekend and I suspect that's why you didn't leave the castle for today's trip. Something _happened_ and you won't tell us. We Marauders respect our sacred laws but when the clock strikes midnight on December 19th, you're going to have to explain yourself."

"James," Lily warned.

"No, Lily!" James snapped but his expression softened when he saw her cringe slightly. "I'm sorry dear, I love you very much, but you're going to have to stay out of this one." He then turned back to his best friend and pointed a finger in his face. "You're officially on notice."

As James angrily spun on his foot and set off towards the Gryffindor common room, Remus saw Lily throw him a sympathetic look. Her expression caused him to immediately grab the firewhiskey bottle that James had tried to stop him from drinking. He placed it to his mouth to take another swig. However, once the liquid touched his lips, he coughed violently. Since he had stopped using his brain hours before, it was almost as if his body was physically rejecting the magical alcohol to tell him to stop drinking too. He pounded his chest several times, gasping for air, and promptly ignored the warning signs. As Kaia's voice began to soar above the softly buzzing side conversations, Remus grabbed the bottle and headed towards the outside deck that was attached to the old classroom.

When he opened the door, several voices cried out as the freezing air crept into the party. He growled and slammed it shut, cutting off their whining protests. As silence enveloped him, Remus cocked a brow as he eyed the large cloud of steam next to him. It suddenly dawned on him that the heat from the crowded room had escaped as well. He dumbly watched it rise into the crisp night sky when he suddenly had a craving.

He wanted a cigarette. Badly.

However, Remus Lupin was not the type of bloke who carried around a pack with him so he lazily turned his head back and forth to scan for a fellow student. His eyes slowly settled on a large mass of pink and purple feathers on the far side of the deck. When he squinted, he realized that the colorful feather boas were attached to the blonde locks of none other than Gemma Rawnsley. She was quietly sitting on the banister, wearing a flowing purple shirt under a large brown jacket with a pair of Sirius' baggy denim jeans tucked into matching boots. A gust of wind whipped past them and he saw her shiver as she continued to roll the small joint next to her.

"Gemma, is that you?"

"Wotcher, Remus!" she called playfully as she waved to him.

The werewolf staggered over to her location, happy that he had found another outsider. She swung her feet back and forth and stuck her tongue out determinedly as she twisted the final bit of rolling paper around her gillyweed. The Hufflepuff then placed the joint between her lips and used her wand to light the end of it.

"Give us a puff," he slurred.

"This isn't a cigarette, Remus," she chuckled as she exhaled.

"I know. I still want some."

"You're going to be one blitzed motherfucker then," she laughed again, handing him the smoking object. He put the joint to his lips and inhaled deeply. Since he was a gillyweed smoking novice, he coughed violently as he exhaled and Gemma continued to laugh as she patted him on the back.

"There, there. You'll be fine. Man! I never thought I'd see the day. Remus Lupin, did you honestly just ask to smoke some of my shit?"

"It's been a bad day," he growled.

"Yeah, I would agree with you there," she muttered as she snatched the joint from his grasp. She continued to swing her legs as she inhaled; Remus finally caught his breath and pulled his large black cloak tighter around his body. "Gio's mad at me because I won't do him a favor. Merlin, don't look at me like that. He wasn't asking for a _sexual_ favor."

"What did he want then?"

"He wants me to sing on stage with him during the Winter Ball. I told him I don't like to sing in front of crowds."

"Really? I hear you singing all the time when you're with Sirius," Remus countered as she passed the joint back to him. He raised a brow when she sighed heavily.

"Ok, this is going to sound really crazy, but bear with me. I grew up in a music hall, so naturally I was always around singers. And my Mum was the lead vocalist of a band before she met my Dad so I certainly have the right genetics … but I dunno, I can't explain it. I only sing around people I trust. So I can't just go up onstage and belt out some fantastic number. My voice would crack."

She took the joint from him when he exhaled and continued to ramble.

"But he doesn't seem to understand that. He says I'm willing to sing for Sirius, but not for him. Can't he see it doesn't work that way?"

Before Remus could get out another word, she quickly took several small puffs and continued with a mouthful of smoke.

"You know what? I think that sometimes magic is more powerful and primal than we realize. There are just some things in this world that can't be explained. Take my relationship with Sirius, for instance. I don't know what it is about that boy … but I feel like our souls are just,_ attached. _That little bugger has wormed his way into my damaged heart and I'm not willing to let him go. I tell ya, love is scary as hell. But exhilarating at the same time."

When she finished her confession, she reached out to hand the joint to him.

"You diggin' me? Wait, what am I saying, of course you understand. You're a werewolf, you know exactly how hard it is to let people in."

The shared joint quickly fell to the stone surface beneath them as Remus' jaw dropped sharply.

"W-what?"

Immediately, his heart began to race as he started to hyperventilate. His ears popped loudly and his drunken brain almost exploded with shock. How did she _know_? Had Sirius told her? If so, he was personally going to –

"Shit," Gemma whispered, her hand flying to cover her mouth. "Shit, shit, shit. I wasn't supposed to say that. Wait, don't go! Before you tear out of here and kill Sirius, you should know he didn't tell me. I – I dreamed about you."

"You what?!" Remus exclaimed. Pure distress buzzed through his blood stream but his brain was still stuck in a catatonic daze. In order to keep from falling over, he sat back down on the banister next to her.

"I dreamed about you," she repeated as she hopped off the railing and picked up the joint. The surrounding snow had snuffed out the roll so she quickly placed it back in her mouth and lit the end with her wand. "I'll admit, it took me awhile to figure out whom I was dreaming about, but every time I slept in Sirius' bed, I saw your past, present and possibly your future. I guess my craziness latched onto you since you were always sleeping in the bed next to me."

"So you know everything about me, even though we've never had a real, meaningful conversation before?"

"You guessed it, mate."

The air quickly flew out of Remus' lungs and he felt extremely lightheaded. He clutched his chest just below his heart and blinked back several scared tears. He rapidly threw a frightened glance in Gemma's direction and in response, she smiled softly and reached out to offer the joint back to him.

"I'm sorry Remus, I didn't want you to tell you like this. I _wanted_ to keep it a secret until you told me about it yourself … but the same thing happened with Sirius. Usually when I meet people for the first time, I don't care enough to talk to them. I don't feel anything. But when I met Sirius … and after I figured out your secret … I dunno, I just feel comfortable around you two. I'm willing to share anything, I'm willing to sing, I – Merlin, this is starting to sound psychotic. All I'm trying to say is that I can't help but feel like I know you because I've relived all your painful experiences. It's like _our_ souls are attached. But we barely know each other."

Her smile turned into a large grin and she chuckled slightly as she took another puff.

"Look, I won't tell anyone, I won't bother you and I won't pry but there's one thing I want you to know. You don't have to be so cynical all the time. Life is a blessing, not a curse. Sometimes we outcasts need to let people who care about us into our hearts because they make our lives exponentially better."

"You're starting to sound very prophetic," Remus growled playfully as he plucked the joint out of her fingers. He couldn't explain why, but his tense muscles slowly began to relax and the warm feeling of relief washed over him.

"I am not! You forget that I've seen your present predicament," she responded matter of factly. "I'm referring to the seventh year Ravenclaw whom you seem to be involved with."

"Marlene?"

"No, you berk. _Marianne_."

"You know about her?" Remus gasped, almost choking on the smoke in his throat.

She gave him a look that said, "Are you even listening to me at all?"

"Right, of course you do. But that topic is _not_ up for conversation."

"Remus - "

"You said you _weren't _going to pry," he snarled, his mood suddenly turning sour at the mention of Marianne's name.

"Gemma, my love! There you are!" Sirius bellowed as he thrust open the classroom door leading to the outside deck. Both of the damaged individuals sitting on the railing immediately shifted their attention to his boisterous greeting. Several large clusters of steam rose into the air before Sirius slammed the door shut and Remus was thankful that he had been saved from discussing the painful topic any further.

"Hello dear," Gemma smiled softly after Sirius placed a kiss on her forehead. Remus tried not to gulp, but it looked like she realized that she was not going to win in a fight against the werewolf if he wasn't ready to overcome his extreme denial.

"You have to come inside! Everyone is doing that thing I told you I saw on the muggle lelevision."

"_Television_, Padfoot," Remus muttered, running a hand through his long hair.

"The Soul Train Line?" Gemma squealed excitedly as her hands balled up and quivered excitedly. "Oh my god, we have join them! Why didn't you tell me sooner, you buffoon?" She vaulted off the banister and grabbed Sirius' hand, pulling him towards the door. He laughed and eagerly followed her, like a dog following its owner. Yet, just before the couple returned to the party, Gemma whipped her head around, flashed Remus an extremely deliberate smile and quoted the television show in question.

" … And as always in parting, we wish you love, peace … and _soul!_"

She let out a piercing giggle just before Sirius dragged her towards the dance floor where the other students had formed two lines and couples took turns sashaying and strutting down the center to show off their dancing skills. Remus silently watched them through the window. Sirius impatiently thrust them into the front of the line and when it was their turn, the couple playfully boogied and twirled down the center towards the end. As Gemma circled her hips and did a series of funky kick ball changes, Remus finally understood why Sirius had fallen in love with her at first sight.

Although he felt no romantic connection to the girl, he still couldn't deny that her bubbling, otherworldly personality was infectious. If anyone else had told him they knew about his lycanthropy, he probably would have screamed at them and stormed out … but not Gemma. Although he was unwilling to talk to her about his forbidden romance, he suddenly comprehended her earlier statements; there was some sort of unexplainable connection between them that made him feel comfortable around her. He sighed, playing her encouraging words over and over in his head. The werewolf hated to admit it, but part of him knew she was right.

Suddenly, the wind whipped up again and smoke crawled up Remus' nose. He looked down and noticed that Gemma had left the smoking joint in his hands. He smiled softly and leaned back, placing the object between his lips, and finally reveled in the healing powers of gillyweed.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Omg, I had so much f_un_ writing this chapter. I like snarky, drunk Remus. I think I'll keep him around XD

And the Soul Train reference came to me after I was searching youtube for Daft Punk's new album … I found a homemade music video using footage from Soul Train set to the song "Lose Yourself To Dance". And I was just like holy crap, this needs to be in the chapter.

I'm also going to let you know that my chapter updates are going to continue but will be out every 2 weeks rather than every week. My schedule starting to get busier sadly :(

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I really really appreciate it! I'm also in the middle of doing some much needed edits to the earlier chapters :D


	16. Baba O'Riley

**Disclaimer**: "Putain de merde" is French slang … I believe the English equivalent would be something like "Fucking hell".

And I'm sorry if there are a lot of grammar mistakes in this one. It was a long chapter to write!

* * *

"_Don't cry, don't raise your eye. It's only teenage wasteland_." – The Who, 1971

* * *

Sirius Black huffed, ran a hand through his long hair and fished his golden pocket watch out of his stylishly cut black dress robes. He swore softly when he saw the time.

"Gemma, you need to hurry up! We're extremely late!"

"_Ugh_! I'm getting ready as fast as I can!" she yelled from the other side of the bathroom door. He heard a soft grumbling sound and then a long string of expletives. "I told you things would go faster if you let me get ready in _my_ dorm room! I don't know where anything is in here!"

"It's not my fault you didn't wake us up on time," he countered as he placed his hands on the door that separated them. His fingers rapped against the wood in a very bored fashion.

"It's not _my_ fault you looked so fit after your Quidditch practice," Gemma Rawnsley teased as she cracked the door open and stuck her head out enough to wag her tongue in his direction. Sirius could see that she was still in the middle of applying her make up since only one of her eyelids was covered with a thin line of black eyeliner. "I just had to shag you, baby! And that made us _both_ very tired, hence the extended nap …"

"Well if you're going to take forever, let me at least see your dress. I know you picked out something groovy during our last Hogsmeade trip." His voice oozed with sensuality and longing.

"Never!" she cackled as she slammed the bathroom door shut. "You're just going to be patient!"

"_Gemma_," Sirius groaned as he placed his hands back on the door and hung his head in frustration. "We've already missed half the Ball. Don't you want to see Gio play?"

"We've been over this, _Sirius_," the sixth year replied. "I've been to every rehearsal. I don't need to see them play right this minute. Can't we just relax?"

"But they're your friends! Don't you want to support them?"

"Ah, ah, ah," he heard her tut as she turned on the sink. "Don't play that card, dear. You're friends with Remus but the only reason you haven't forcefully dragged me out of here to see _him_ is because you want to avoid Marlene."

"Not true," Sirius sulked as he felt intense anger bubbling up from somewhere deep inside him. A couple of stray hairs fell in front of his stormy grey eyes and with a large huff, he blew them out of his line of sight.

"You smarmy git! I can hear the strain in your voice. You don't want things to be awkward. You know I'm right!" Her voice was soft and playful, but cunningly accusatory. The Gryffindor quickly pushed himself away from the door and threw his hands into the air. His pulse began to race as his eyes flitted back and forth across the room.

"You know what, Gemma? I don't like your tone. I'm fucking bored but I'm still waiting for you. And what are you doing? Lollygagging and insinuating that I'm still attracted to one of my past flames. What rubbish! You know, I could turn the tables here. I _see_ the way you and Remus interact. You can't keep your eyes off him, can -"

The bathroom door immediately swung open and Gemma positioned herself in the doorway, her features bold and ready. Her long blonde hair was pulled back into a low, messy bun and she had painted her lips bright red to match her long sleeved, draping gown. Yet, as Sirius eyed her hungrily, he felt a pang of disappointment run through him when he saw her extremely conservative neckline. However, it suddenly vanished when he internally smacked himself and realized how stunningly beautiful she looked.

"That's not fair!" Gemma yelled, stomping one of her black heels against the ground in anger. "You've accused me_ twice _now of fancying other blokes but I don't get to complain about your fan club or hint that you might be attracted to Marlene?"

"There's nothing to say about Marlene!"

"There's nothing to say about Remus, either! That boy is a bloody_ friend_ to me. Nothing more."

"Then why does he act so comfortable around you? Moony never does that with girls. He's nice to them, sure, but he totally _accepts_ you like you're a Marauder – and you barely speak to him! There has to be something going on between you two."

"It's because I know he's a werewolf, Sirius!" Gemma desperately cried. She grunted heatedly and brushed past him to grab her pack of cigarettes on his nightstand. But her indiscrete nudge was not the only thing that sent Sirius tumbling backwards in shock. As she quickly placed a cigarette in her mouth, she revealed her entire rose trellis tattoo; her dress dipped from the top of her shoulders down to the small of her back. The Gryffindor desperately reached out and steadied himself against his bedpost as she lit up in front of him. He found her to be absolutely breathtaking.

"Shit, shit!" Gemma yelped, realizing that she was breaking the rules by smoking inside the castle. Immediately, she became flustered. She frantically tried to put out her cigarette on one of his wooden bedposts and panted softly as she looked for a place to set it down.

"_Shhhh_," Sirius cooed behind her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She sighed deeply as she hunched forward and Sirius frowned when he looked down at her body art. The once vibrantly red roses were slowly turning brown and weak.

"I hate fighting with people," she muttered dejectedly, "but I seem to be doing it a lot lately."

"What do you mean?"

"First Gio, then Remus, now you," she exhaled as the cigarette fell from her fingers. "I've been fighting with all the people I truly care about." She looked up at him with her glassy eyes and continued. "Do you remember when you asked me about my big dreams and I said I couldn't tell you? Well I was reliving Remus' memories. _All_ of them. I know he's a werewolf and I know that all of you are all animagi to help him transform every full moon."

"So why didn't you tell me you knew?" Sirius questioned.

"How was I supposed to do that, Sirius? Oh hey, by the _way_, I know your best friend is a werewolf and you can turn into a large black canine. Isn't that funny, since your name is Sirius, like the Dog Star? Ok goodnight, see you in the morning!"

"Fine," he conceded as he rubbed her arms softly. "You're right, it is a hard subject to bring up. But I just don't want there to be any secrets between us. I want you to tell me all the important events in your life. I want our relationship to be completely transparent and honest."

"But Sirius, there are some things I can't tell you. Fortune telling is a dangerous art. If I change things in any way, I'm altering history. So you're just going to have to trust me sometimes and in return, I promise to be as transparent as I can," Gemma declared. "And while we're on the subject of being _honest_, just because I'm close with other people doesn't mean that I'm abandoning you." She turned around and tilted her head, smiling gently as she ran a hand down his cheek. Although he still felt a bit perturbed, he quickly put her fingers to his lips and wrapped an arm around her waist. As Sirius enveloped her into a large, comforting hug, he noticed that her roses were turning red again, matching the shade of her dress.

"I love you," he whispered urgently.

"I know, Sirius," she answered as she broke from their hug. A large smile tugged at her lips. "But really,_Remus_? Out of all people to fancy, you think I'm going to go after a bloke who's been in love with a French aristocrat for the past two years? There's no way I'm more attractive than Marianne Minot!"

Sirius' jaw dropped in extreme shock.

"Oh fuck. That little bugger never told you, did he?"

* * *

"REMUS JOHN _LUPIN_!"

Remus Lupin's head whipped around with a _crack!_ as he strained to identify who was yelling his name. It didn't take long for him to see Sirius barreling towards him, his lip curled with contempt as he pushed several Gryffindor Second Years out of his way. The boy pulled his best friend away from his scantily clad date, Marlene McKinnon, and dragged him by his slightly used dress robes. The rest of the Marauders quickly noticed this act of aggression and followed their two friends; Lily Evans immediately started spewing conversation to keep Aeryn Miller distracted and Gemma floated behind the boys, quietly apologizing to the rest of the students and telling them to mind their own business.

"What is wrong with you?" Remus shouted as Sirius shoved him into one of the corners of the Great Hall. "Why the bloody hell are you acting so rough?"

"When were you going to tell us about Marianne?" Sirius growled.

"What about her?" James Potter asked with a confused expression as he adjusted his black frames.

"He's in love with her. Secretly has been for the past two years. And during the first Hogsmeade trip of this term, she tried to kiss him and he ran away."

"WHAT?" Peter Pettigrew exclaimed as he incredulously pushed back some of his light hair. "Merlin, why have you never told us this, Moony?" Remus gulped and tugged at the collar of his dress robes, clearly uncomfortable. He shuddered under his friends' harsh gazes and felt his mouth start to taste like cotton balls.

"Well, I _was_ going to tell you tonight," he muttered dismally.

"Why didn't you tell us _years_ ago?" Peter interrogated.

"Because!" the werewolf shouted desperately. "You don't know how hard it is to constantly see someone you love but know you can never be with them."

"What are you talking about, Moony?" James asked in disbelief. "You would make an excellent couple!"

"I'm _beneath_ her," Remus finally wheezed after a long pause. He felt his insides painfully constrict and he grimaced as he wrapped an arm across his stomach. The boy's face suddenly turned ashen.

"Are you kidding me? That girl does not seem like the type to care about your status or blood," Sirius said skeptically.

"Her family is wealthier than the Malfoys!" Remus cried out. "You honestly think she would ever be with a lowly _creature_ like me? … Wait a minute, how do you know all of this information?"

"That's my fault," Gemma said meekly as she slightly raised her hand in the air. "I accidentally let it slip."

"How does _she_ know?" Peter asked.

"She's a Seer, Wormtail," Sirius answered and rolled his eyes. "She's seen Remus' memories in her dreams. She knows everything – about all of us."

"Holy shit," Peter cursed softly.

"I'm so sorry," Gemma pleaded as she reached out to grab Remus' hand. "I didn't know you hadn't told them, honest!" He saw the sadness in her eyes and immediately snapped his arm away from her, his embarrassment turning into extreme stubbornness.

"So now I finally know why Marianne has been acting like a stroppy cow for the past month or so," James muttered to himself. "She's been a wreck, Moony. How could you just leave her hanging there?"

Remus gulped again and consequently stated to bite his fingernails aggressively. He had been asking himself that very question ever since their kiss but never could bring himself to answer it. His relationship with Marianne Minot was too torturous to think about, which was why he always tried to forget it existed. Her normally sleek hair turned long and unruly, the bags under her eyes turned darker every day and she was overly aggressive when provoked but he never spoke to her to see if she was alright. Instead, he threw himself into a bottle of firewhiskey to drown his sorrows.

"You have to apologize," Sirius demanded.

"What? No!"

"Moony, you _have_ to do it," James warned and behind him, Peter shook his head and put his hands on his hips. The Head Boy then looked to his left and his right before putting his hand next to Remus' ear and continued the conversation with a whisper. "We made a rule during our third year. If you ever start acting irrational about your lycanthropy, one of us gets to smack you across the face. Now I'm not going to do that in public but stop being a such a dim wit and go snog the hell out of Marianne before you both cause each other any more pain!"

"I saw her go outside for a cigarette a minute ago," Peter offered with a nudge and behind him, Sirius' face burst into a large grin. "You should go sweep her off her feet! Come on m'boy!"

Remus stumbled backwards in shock. However, his guarded walls slowly began to crumble when he realized he was running out of excuses. Gradually, the werewolf felt a smile creep onto his face when he finally accepted that James was completely right. He was acting irrational. A blazing confidence suddenly filled him as Tarantellegra launched into a fast paced song and as his gaze wandered, he caught Gemma's amused expression. She winked lightheartedly in return. However, their silent conversation ended when Marlene stomped over to their location.

"What is going on here?" she demanded. For a brief moment, time stood still and Remus cocked his head to the side as he inspected his Winter Ball date. And then it hit him. Instead of taking Marianne to the Ball, he had inadvertently brought someone exactly like her – a rich, pureblood seventh year Ravenclaw with short brown hair and light eyes. What the_ hell _was he doing?

"I have to go," he stated clearly and then with a swish of his robes, promptly left his date behind him. He practically sprinted towards the large front doors and wormed his way through the annoying couples in order to get out to the Main Courtyard. He followed the instinctive feeling in his gut and somehow knew exactly where to find her without the Map. As his pace slowed down to a leisurely walk, he slunk behind one of the stone columns at the edge of the courtyard and tried to keep in the shadows. Although the figure several yards away from him was covered in a large black cloak, Remus knew it was Marianne Minot. He could feel her gravitational pull the entire way from Great Hall.

Yet, as she turned her head to the side to take a puff from her skinny black cigarette holder, her eyes flashed maliciously when they settled on him. Remus felt his heartbeat cease to exist and her spiteful energy cut through him like a knife. He finally understood William Congreve's famous line, "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned".

"_Piss_ off Lupin," the Ravenclaw finally sneered and after a quick flick of her cigarette, she jutted her chin snobbishly in the other direction. "I don't want to talk to you."

Against his better judgment, he stepped towards her, desperate to understand her anger and make things right between them. Immediately, Marianne spun around and growled defensively as she pointed her wand at him with extreme wickedness written all over her heavily made up face. Remus started to physically shake as his breath caught in his throat. The pureblood looked absolutely nefarious in her expensive, black, grey and white strapless robes. The thousands of sequins on her ombre scalloped skirt shimmered in the moonlight and she jutted out her wand protectively, her arms covered in black satin gloves.

"Don't test me," she snarled.

"Marianne," Remus said breathlessly, "what has happened to you?"

"You have _no right_ to ask me that!" Her cruel voice pierced the silence around them.

"Yes I do! I care about you -"

"You _care_ about me?" she asked incredulously. "No, you're a heartless bastard, I think you're incapable of caring."

"That's not true -"

"I don't want to hear it!" the pureblood yelled, nudging her wands towards him again.

"Please, Marianne, there's something I have to tell you -"

"_Putain de merde_! I said I don't want to hear -"

Their argument immediately ceased when Remus did the only thing he could think of and started kissing her just as passionately as she had during their previous encounter. However, this time Marianne did not respond in kind. Instead of wrapping her arms around him and deepening the kiss, she reached out and smacked him across the face. Hard. The slap echoed across the snowy courtyard and Remus staggered backwards, bewildered and astounded.

"How _dare _you kiss me," Marianne seethed. "I don't care what secret you have to tell me, I never want to speak to you _again_."

Yet, for one brief moment, her stoic and malicious mask cracked and he saw all of the tremendous emotional distress behind her glassy green eyes.

"You broke my heart Remus," she said softly and desperately, "and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you." And with a swish of her expensive cloak, she put her mask back on, threw her cigarette to the ground and walked out of the courtyard, leaving the werewolf helpless and alone.

* * *

James Potter let out an extremely large, flustered breath as he paced back and forth. Next to him, Lily sighed just as anxiously, Peter squeezed Aeryn's hand and Sirius softly nestled his head in the crook of his girlfriend's neck. The group clustered around the Great Hall doors, eager to hear the outcome of their friend's confession.

"Merlin's fucking beard, I hate waiting," the Head Boy groaned as he threw his head back in frustration.

"I hope he doesn't screw this up," Sirius muttered and Gemma giggled softly as his hot breath tickled the side of her neck.

"He'll be fine," she reassured. "He knows what to do." As the Seer began to ruffle her boyfriend's long hair, James saw a slight twinkle in her eye. It was almost as if she knew something they didn't.

"I hope you're right," Peter grumbled. "I hate it when he sulks like this. He's no fun to be around." James gulped, silently agreeing with him. The concerned students stood dumbfounded as the live band lazily entered into a slow blues song. The mood turned serious and moments later, the group finally saw Remus trudge through the large wooden doors of the Great Hall. He looked abysmal. His skin was extremely pale and although his cheeks were dry, the Gryffindor's eyes were red and swollen with grief.

"Remus, what happened?" Lily asked softly as she placed a comforting hand on his arm. He immediately swiped it away.

"She _hates_ me," he spat, his fickle mood turning extremely terse and abrupt. "She never wants to speak to me again."

James stood in silence, processing the information. Although he wasn't good friends with Marianne, he had patrolled with her enough to know that she was not a judgmental person. She didn't seem like the type of girl to disown someone because of his or her background. There had to be something Remus wasn't telling them.

"I don't believe it," Gemma whispered incredulously as her expression turned worried and strained, as if she knew things weren't going according to plan. "How can that be?"

"Well it's true," the boy snarled as he pulled out a conveniently disguised flask from deep inside his robes. He took a long, hard swig before glaring at the Hufflepuff. "So I guess you're wrong - letting someone in makes things exponentially _worse_, not better." And after another low, guttural snarl, he swiftly exited the Great Hall. Immediately, James jumped into action and tried to follow his best friend to try and console him, but Sirius held out a hand to stop him.

"Let him be, Prongs," he muttered. "He needs to let off some steam." James sighed, ultimately agreeing with his best friend. He subconsciously bit his lip as he rubbed the base of his skull.

"Where did Gemma go?" Aeryn asked. "She was here a second ago." Sirius' head snapped around as he started to search for his girlfriend in the intensely decorated Great Hall but she was nowhere to be seen.

"She must have gone out for a cigarette," Peter offered. "I'll find her, I've got the Ma –"

"Yeah, yeah, you're the former smoker, you know all the hotspots," James said over him, discretely covering up his friend's error. "Go." The skittish boy nodded and then slowly crept out of the Hall and the Head Boy took a deep breath as he resumed his post. He knew that if he distracted himself with work, he would be able to cope with his traumatic reality. His eyes scanned the room for any trouble and quickly noticed that Walter Davies and Severus Snape were both glaring back at him. His expression hardened.

"So wait," Aeryn said to no one in particular, "let me get this straight. Remus has loved Marianne for years but never said anything. And then _she_ kissed _him_. And then he ran away? And now she hates him? I don't get it!"

A silence fell over them and James gulped as dread crept up his spine, unsure how to proceed. He knew Peter had never told Aeryn their friend's deep, dark secret - and was very thankful for that fact - but as she tapped her foot waiting for an answer, the Gryffindor recognized that sooner or later, she was going to have to be brought into their inner circle. At this point, it was enviable that she would figure everything out.

"Aeryn," Lily finally said, breaking the tension, "is that Karen Milligan wearing your dress?"

Her distraction worked. Aeryn whipped her head back and forth and when she finally saw the Seventh Year Slytherin on the other side of the room, she cried out desperately. They were indeed wearing the same capped sleeve, black and gold gown. James couldn't help but let his face break out into a large grin as he caught his girlfriend's devious expression. She was saving his ass, just as she had during their last major prefects meeting, and the glimmer in her eye told him she was happy to do it.

Suddenly, as James held Lily's gaze, the world turned brighter. He took in the way her homemade dark blue dress robes, littered with sparkles and tiny outlines of stars, clung to her female form and gleamed in the candlelight. His eyes strained further as he realized the room was transforming. The grand crystal chandeliers flickered brightly as they illumined the vast dance floor and the winter decorations they had spent hours making began to glow. The starry night sky above them suddenly turned dark and grey and swiftly began to shower the students with a soft layer of snowflakes. James' face lit up and he stuck out his tongue desperately to catch one of the falling objects. Yet, once the snowflake hit his mouth, it popped and vanished into the air.

"It's like a giant bubble machine, but with snowflakes!" Aeryn squealed. "And without the mess!"

"Lily," James stated in shock, "you didn't tell me you were planning on doing this!" The Head Girl rolled her eyes, shrugged playfully, and then smiled when she caught his gaze once more. The rest of the students in the room clapped and danced gleefully in the snow shower as Tarantellegra finished their song.

"Now this next one goes out to all the muggleborns in attendance here tonight!" Giovanni Costa quickly wailed in the microphone and then strummed the opening chords to The Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider". As the band picked up speed, pockets of students began to shout in delight and Lily's face exploded with excitement.

"Oh my god, I l_ove _this song," she gushed. She quickly reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him towards the other side of the room, and James couldn't help but joyfully whoop with glee. He saw Sirius extend a hand to Aeryn and the four of them poured onto the dance floor, joining the other Hogwarts students. James watched as Lily moved her arms and shook her hips to the beat and when she caught him staring, she gave him a sassy, come hither look.

"Merlin, you continue to surprise me every single day," James laughed and affectionately enveloped her with his arms. They both locked eyes, oblivious to everyone else around them.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I love you, James Potter," she beamed, unable to contain her large smile.

"And I love you, my Lily Flower. I will love you until the day I die!"

* * *

Peter panted heavily as he stopped to catch his breath at the top of the Astronomy Tower. He had been tracking Gemma for the past fifteen minutes but it seemed that she had evaded him once again. He hit his chest, loosening up the mucus in his lungs, and then heaved once more. When he was able to breathe properly, he stood up to his full stature and let out a sigh of relief.

"Where the bloody hell could that girl be now?" he muttered when he finally realized that he was farther away from his goal. He grunted softly and turned to find the entrance back into the castle when he felt his blood run cold. Something sinister crept up his spine and the air turned heavy and stale. His animalistic senses immediately took a hold of him and he sniffed the air cautiously.

"Hello, Peter."

"Luciana," he replied breathlessly, instantly recognizing her spicy scent that hung in the cold night air. The boy's blood began to race with anticipation. He whipped around and saw her casually leaning against the snowy railing, dressed in an expensive, corseted black velvet gown. She took a large drag from her cigarette as her cloak dipped devilishly down her left shoulder.

The logical side of Peter's brain immediately told him to run back to his best friends and girlfriend in the Great Hall … but the greedy side told him to take his time. Desire coursed through his veins as the Slytherin eyed him hungrily and he reveled in her stare. She was such a dark beauty and could have anyone in the castle but here she was, tempting him again. He puffed up his chest, swelling with vanity and pride. She considered him to be worthy of her attentions, which meant that he was not just some weakling that followed around the most popular blokes at Hogwarts. He was a _man_.

Luciana was also magnetic and enticing and when she licked her lips, he wanted her to devour him whole. He couldn't explain it but something inside him told him that she was the ultimate woman and that he needed to let her dominate him. After all, hadn't they just encouraged Remus to give into his desires and stop being such a coward?

"I haven't seen you out here in awhile," she drawled before taking another puff. "Have you been trying to kick your nicotine habit?"

"Yes," the boy replied sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "I haven't had a cigarette in over a month now."

"Good for you," she sneered and then blew smoke in his direction. Peter felt his hands become prickly and agitated as his slumbering craving roared to life. The cigarette smoke was teasing and taunting him to give in and he finally let a big sigh and held out his hand.

"You wouldn't happen to have a spare, would you?"

"I thought you'd never ask," the Slytherin cackled softly as she reached into her black purse and pulled out a pack of cigarettes with her free hand. She tugged out a slender stick and Peter immediately trotted over to her location. Yet, when he tried to pull the cigarette out of her grasp, she grabbed his wrist and clenched it menacingly.

"Ah, ah, ah," Luciana teased. "Not so fast." Her smirk grew exponentially when he began to shiver under her touch. She swiftly let go of him and then circled around him, like a snake in the grass stalking its prey. Peter panted loudly and when she completed her turn, she nodded approvingly. She slipped the cigarette back between her fingers and Peter suddenly realized what she was doing. She wasn't offering him a smoke, she was offering him a choice.

Even though it was below freezing, a trickle of sweat slowly ran down his spine. Was he seriously considering giving into her when he had a loyal girlfriend waiting for him back in the Great Hall?

"You know what this means, now don't you?" the Slytherin questioned menacingly. "If you take this cigarette, you're mine. Mine to _control_." She took a puff from her own cigarette and then blew the smoke out to the side. Her gaze turned sultry and alluring. "I'm going to make you a man of great consequence, Peter Pettigrew. Mark my words."

Her powerful offer blinded him and his sadistic side immediately squashed all his worries about being in too deep. Luciana was his true destiny, not Aeryn and the Marauders. He quickly snatched the cigarette out of her grasp and put it in between his lips. Luciana smirked, cupped her hand around the end and lit it with her wand. Peter took a puff and felt a large wave of relaxation crash over him as he inhaled nicotine for the first time in a long time.

"Excellent," she purred as she grabbed his left hand and started to spin his promise ring around his finger. "Now you're going to continue to wear this stupid ring and be your normal, idiotic self so no one suspects anything. But in the meantime, I'm going to train you in the Dark Arts and show you things that would never be allowed inside the classroom. Your pleased expression tells me you're going to love every minute of it. I think I've chosen well!"" Her smirk turned into a satisfied smile as she tightened the collar of his drab colored dress robes. "Now let me show you what a real woman tastes like."

And with that, Peter Pettigrew sold his soul to the Devil and fell into a treachery that would eventually lead to the deaths of his best friends, James and Lily Potter.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hiiiiiii, ok so don't kill me.

To reassure you, I'm the biggest Remus/Marianne shipper out there so you're just going to have to trust me on this one. The next round of chapters will be in the girls' POV and Marianne definitely has an important chapter all to herself. Things are going to get better, I promise!

And muahaha, evil Peter is on the loose! I totally got inspired to write his part after I caught up on the newest Mad Men episodes. What is Luciana going to make him do? Are the evil Slytherins planning something big? Are Death Eaters knocking on Hogwarts' door? Stay tuned, kids.

The next chapter will be out in like ... 2 weeks? It will be the Potter's New Years Party in Lily's POV. Hilarity will ensue :D


	17. Let's Get It On

**Disclaimer**: When I started this story, I went off HP Lexicon's timeline that said the Marauders graduated in 1977 … however, after some more digging, I realized that they _actually _graduated in 1978. Normally I would let this slide, but it's going to affect the sequel for this story (I don't even want to think about what I would plot with an extra year thrown in there) so I'm in the process of going back and changing the date in the earlier chapters. Sorry for the mix up!

And I read about the meeting between Lily, James, Petunia and Vernon on HP Wiki. I didn't make it up.

* * *

"_Let's get it on._" Marvin Gaye, 1973

* * *

"Okay Evans, you can _do_ this."

Lily Evans took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and tried to make a sexy pout with her lips. The Gryffindor then whipped open her kimono robe and revealed her new lacy black bra and knickers set to herself in the mirror. She shook her hair effortlessly and then fluttered her eyelashes at her reflection.

"Take me to bed, James Potter!" the virgin rehearsed, trying to use her raspy voice. However, her romantic exclamation fell flat and came out extremely hoarse. Lily sucked in an astonished breath and then caught her scared reflection in her mirror, which caused her to let out a sharp laugh.

"He's never going to fall for that," she muttered softly as she cupped her face with her hands. When she finally took another deep breath, she felt her head tilt sideways as she analyzed her reflection. Although she was petite and usually courageous, Lily insecurely pulled at the exposed skin on her stomach and frowned when embarrassment flooded her cheeks. She never should have let Alice talk her into buying the lingerie.

"LILY, WE'RE LEAVING!" her father called from the living room. The witch scowled as she hastily closed her robe and cinched its belt around her waist. After throwing her hair into a messy bun, she trotted down the stairs to say goodbye to the rest of her family. When she reached the ground floor, she tried to ignore her sister's scathing gaze.

"Goodbye father," Lily smiled before kissing his cheek delicately. She then moved to her mother as she forced out a lie. "I hope you have a great time with the Thickes. They always do throw a spectacular New Years Eve party."

"It won't be as exciting as your _boyfriend's _shindig, I'm sure," Petunia Evans spat as she crossed her arms, "but then again, I wouldn't call dancing around a bubbling cauldron and shouting curses _exciting_." Lily seethed as she remembered the ill-fated dinner that included Petunia, her then fiancé Vernon Dursley, James and herself. Their first meeting had ended in tears when Vernon and James had started a fighting about Vernon's new car and their respective wealth. The fight had gotten worse at Petunia's wedding when she refused to speak to either of them.

Yet, before Lily could lash out at her sister, her father put an arm around Petunia's shoulder, muttering something like "Come on, Vernon is waiting for you", and guided her towards the open door. Her mother shot her a forced smile before following them and Lily sighed as she watched them walk towards their family car. Guilt crept down her spine. Even though she hated the Thickes, she quickly considered owling James an excuse in order to hang onto her last connection to the muggle world … but Petunia slammed the car door and her family sped off into the night before she could do anything. Lily cowered as she slowly closed the front door.

She sighed again as she made her way back to her room. After sluggishly rolling up her black thigh highs and clipping them to her vintage garter belt, the Head Girl tugged her purple dress, made from the expensive fabric James had bought her for Christmas, over her head. She got stuck for only a moment and then wiggled the silky material over her torso. Afterwards, Lily zipped up the side and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Although the dropped waist showed off her figure, she still felt uncomfortable. Would James like what she had made with his gift? And more importantly, would it make a good first impression with his parents?

After glancing at her clock, Lily realized she was running behind schedule and tried to squash her insecurities. She quickly snapped her clustered pearl earrings into her lobes and grabbed her black cloak and evening purse before running out of her room and into the backyard. The Gryffindor took a shaky breath before pulling out James' invitation and portkey from her clutch.

"Here goes nothing," Lily muttered. She quickly glanced back at her tiny dark house and then closed her hand around the Queen chess piece. The portkey threw her into a swirling vortex and she immediately felt like she was going to vomit. Seconds later, she arrived in the gravel driveway of Potter Manor and tried to regain her sense of balance.

"Ah, Miss Evans," a uniformed butler smiled as he extended her a steady hand. "We've been waiting for you."

Lily looked up from the ground and felt her jaw drop. In front of her, a row of butlers stood on the candle lit outdoor staircase that led to the large wooden front doors. James' house was _enormous_ and unlike anything she had ever seen before. Lily immediately felt uneasy. Her black heel wobbled and she seized the butler's arm as she almost lost her composure; her earlier guilt quickly morphed into intense fear.

"_LILY!_" James exclaimed and her head shot up to see him bounding down towards her. A wild, idiotic grin covered most of his face and he skipped over several stairs in order to quickly wrap his arms around her. She yelped in surprise when he picked her up and spun her around. "You're wearing your Christmas present!"

"Put me down!" Lily eventually giggled and as he returned her to the ground, her lack of confidence turned into a steady poise. James always calmed her nerves, whether he realized it or not. She smiled, gently reached up and pushed some of his messy black hair behind his ear. "You clean up nice, Potter."

"As do you, _Evans_," he responded with a laugh. He took her hand and held it above her head. She gave him a confused look and he motioned for her to twirl with a wave of his hand. Lily obliged him and when she finally caught his gaze again, he beamed broadly. "You look smashing. I am going to be the luckiest man in the world tonight with you by my side."

"_Stop_ it," she scolded as she playfully smacked him with her purse.

"Never," James winked as he held out his arm and she took it gladly. As the candles flicked in the cold winter wind, they carefully scaled the grand outdoor staircase. Yet, with every step, Lily felt her sizeable insecurities creep back into her thoughts; her normal steadfast bravery was nowhere to be found. Although James calmed her nerves about her appearance, she still had to meet his parents. What were they going to think of her? Would they approve of the girl who had scored their son for the better part of his Hogwarts education?

"James," Lily said softly as they hovered just outside the large wooden entrance doors, "I don't know if I can do this. Not after our disaster with Petunia."

"Do what?"

"Meet your parents."

"Nonsense," James said casually as he pulled her into the Manor, "they're going to love you as much as I do."

She tried to dissuade him and dig her heels into the carpet but the Gryffindor felt her complaints fall away as she looked up. The inside of Potter Manor was tremendously beautiful. The ceilings were high, majestic and covered in frescos and gold filigree. The walls were decorated with evergreen garlands and when James finally stopped, she looked out over the landing at the broad entry hall. Beyond it, there was an extensive ballroom and several connecting doors that lead to another set of wide rooms. Lily was so spellbound by the mansion that she didn't see the two figures behind her. She jumped in surprise and panted softly when she realized James' parents were finally next to them.

Perpetual fear flooded her senses.

"Miss Evans," Edward Potter grinned, "it is a pleasure to finally meet you." She nodded nervously and shook his hand, taking in his appearance. His white hair showed his real age but she remarked that his son clearly took after him.

"Pleased to meet you," she answered meekly. "And you Mrs. Potter."

"Call me Agathe, please," the older woman replied with a comforting smile before pulling her into an unexpected hug. Lily squeaked in astonishment at her forwardness but eventually melted into her embrace. When Agathe slowly released her, the muggleborn noticed that her smile had grown exponentially.

"Thank you Lily," she beamed as she patted her shoulder lightly, "for turning my son into a proper gentleman. I know he was quite the nuisance when he was younger but now he's a grown man, all because of you, and I can die a happy mother." All of Lily's earlier worries quickly dissolved when she felt the sincerity rolling off her in waves. "Oh! Would you look at your dress? It's stunning! Did you make it yourself?"

"I told you she likes to make her own clothes, Mum," James softly muttered in her ear. "That's why I gave her the purple fabric for Christmas. Remember?" Lily couldn't help but frown slightly when Agathe's blue eyes became misty and confused. James had mentioned that his mother was growing older – something Lily could see by the woman's grey hair and wrinkled face – but he hadn't said anything about her memory loss.

"Evans, you're finally here!" Sirius Black exclaimed as he joined their small party. He quickly took a sip from his glass tumbler before smoothing down his black dress robes. "Thank Merlin you've finally put Prongs out of his misery. He's been glued to that front window like a bowtruckle on a doxy egg."

"Hey, I wasn't _that_ bad," James defended. "And if I remember correctly, you were right there with me until you wandered off a moment ago."

"Well, I needed a drink," Sirius muttered as he took another sip and tapped his foot against the carpet.

"I'm sure we're going to love Gemma too, Sirius," Edward reassured as he slapped his newly adopted son on the back. Sirius looked up at him tenderly, as if he was truly related to him, and Lily couldn't help but let her smile grow. Although she knew the details were gruesome, she was very thankful that Sirius had made his brave escape to the Potters nearly six months ago.

"Miss Alice Cooper, Mr. Frank Longbottom and Miss Gemma Rawnsley!" the head butler announced and everyone's eyes shot to the door. Lily's smile grew bigger as she watched Alice quickly fix her boyfriend's bowtie. She was also very thankful that her best friend had finally found her true love.

Alice's face immediately lit up when she finally locked eyes with Lily and she excitedly dragged her boyfriend towards their group. As the couple made their introductions to the Potters, Lily noticed that Gemma continued to nervously stand in the doorway. She shied away from their welcoming party and tugged at the chiffon sleeves of her psychedelic empire-waist dress. Sirius softly excused himself and sprinted over towards the door.

"It was very nice to meet you, Alice," Agathe finally said as she patted his hand affectionately, "but I have a feeling we're needed by the main doors." The Potters cast a quick fond glance at their son before floating over to Sirius and Gemma. As the pureblood began to introduce his girlfriend, Lily heard James sigh next to her.

"He was a shadow of his former self this summer," the Head Boy said softly as he took her hand in his. "He never smiled, just fucked around and acted like a complete git. We were all so worried about him … but then he met _her_. And ever since then, he's been the happiest I've ever seen him."

"It can't be easy though," Frank said nonchalantly.

"What are you on about?" Alice questioned.

"What? I love Sirius just as much as James does, but you can't deny that he's a very demanding bloke."

"Demanding yes, but _passionate_ as well," Lily laughed and the other Gryffindors joined in as they continued to watch Sirius excitedly present the love of his life to the Potters. Their chuckles slowly subsided and an eerie silence crept over them.

"But do you think it will last?" Alice whispered softly, voicing the thought that everyone refused to share. "After all, she _is _a sixth year and he's six months – give or take – away from being an auror in training, just like the rest of us!"

"Hold your hippogriffs!" Frank exclaimed. "We don't _know_ that -"

"Oh come on Frank," Alice interrupted, "we all know they're going to let into the program. We're fervent and smart candidates and they can't afford to pass us up. In fact, with all the muggle attacks these days, they _need_ us."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch," Lily playfully warned her best friend as she wagged her finger in the air. "We have to pass our NEWTs first."

"Alice does have a point though," Frank said solemnly as he looked down at his shoes. "Whatever happens, he's going to be in London and she's still going to be studying at Hogwarts … I really _do_ hope they can make things work though. They make each other so happy."

"They'll be fine. When you find someone that makes your heart skip a beat, you automatically know you'd do anything to keep them in your life," James finally cut in with a dashing smile as he squeezed Lily's hand. "Wouldn't you agree?" Frank and Alice grasped hands and nodded their heads wholeheartedly. Lily couldn't help but blink back a couple of happy tears as James led her down the stairs towards the ballroom. Alice excitedly chatted about how should found her little black dress for the evening, but the Head Girl was too wrapped up in her own bliss to really pay attention.

"Ah, Prongs! Lily!" Peter Pettigrew exclaimed from the other side of the ballroom as he waved his hands. Next to him, Aeryn Miller waved just as eagerly and Remus Lupin gave them a soft smile before sipping from a glass tumbler. James quickly led Lily over towards their friends as Alice and Frank peeled off to find refreshments of their own.

"Wormtail, I didn't see you come in! How are you?" James grinned as he hugged his best friend and gave him a slap on the back. The two boys quickly fell into a side conversation and Aeryn remained silent as she listened to their every word. Lily rolled her eyes. Although she found Peter's girlfriend to be extremely kind and compassionate, she secretly thought that she needed to grow a stronger backbone. She caught Remus' wandering gaze out of the corner of her eye and chuckled when she saw the same annoyed expression on his face.

"How are you, Remus?" she asked lightheartedly.

"Oh you know me," he responded with a slight smirk before taking another sip from his tumbler. "Doing the best I can."

"And your Christmas?" she prodded.

"If you're _really_ asking about your chocolate sampler," the former prefect chuckled, "I think you already know the answer." Lily grinned as she reached out and grabbed a champagne flute after one of the staff offered her a glass. She continued to watch the sandy haired Marauder as she slowly took a sip but was soon distracted when she heard Sirius' boisterous laugh. However, she did notice the way Remus shied from their group upon seeing Gemma on the main staircase.

Lily's smile turned into a slight grimace. She figured out Remus' dark secret when they had first started patrolling during their fifth year – it really wasn't hard for the bright witch to read the signs – and before long, she became his closest confidant. They quietly discussed his lycanthropy, but never spoke of it outside of their patrols. It wasn't her place to publically comfort him, especially when she considered his best friend James Potter to be her mortal enemy. However, ever since she and James had reconciled, she had been tempted to reach out to the werewolf to open the lines of communication.

But it seemed that Gemma had already tried. And failed.

Although she wasn't present during their pseudo-intervention during the Winter Ball, Lily knew exactly what they were talking about. She had long suspected that Remus was in love with Marianne Minot but chose not to be a part of their barrage. Instead, Lily decided to remain silent and keep Aeryn occupied in order to prevent her from learning the truth. It had certainly been difficult but she knew it was the right thing to do.

"Moony, Wormtail! My friends!" Sirius exclaimed, his arms wide open as he approached them and broke her away from her thoughts. "Let us drink to 1978!"

"We still have two hours until midnight," Gemma muttered behind him. "If you start now, you're going to be sloshed."

"That's the plan, love," Sirius replied as he grabbed a champagne flute and ostentatiously presented it to his girlfriend. She shook her head and pulled out a small joint from her bohemian clutch.

"D'ya think your parents would kill me if I lit up outside?" she whispered softly to James.

"Not at all," he responded with a wink. "There's already a crowd out there smoking cigarettes, you'll blend right in."

"I'll join you then!" Peter exclaimed as he pulled out a pack from inside his robes. Aeryn huffed, clearly annoyed that her boyfriend had taken up his old habit. Lily saw Gemma throw Remus a fleeting remorseful glance before taking Peter's arm and accompanying him towards the Potters' private lake.

The rest of the group soon fell into a lengthy conversation about the current professional Quidditch standings and as James and Sirius argued and chugged champagne, time began to fly by. Lily flitted back and forth between the guests, her earlier lack of confidence slipping away as she began to socialize. The Head Girl's laugh echoed throughout the room until James pulled her onto the dance floor. Then the real fun began.

"Everyone! Quick! It's 11:58!" Mr. Potter exclaimed from the top of the stairs.

Every guest frantically prepared themselves and as James looked for a pair of champagne flutes, Lily couldn't help but smile like a complete idiot as pure happiness coursed through her veins. 1977 had certainly been a rough year for her, as shown by her strained relationship with the muggle world, her sister and Severus, but as she looked around at everyone gathered in the ballroom, she finally felt tremendous inner peace. She was so thankful that James showered her with love and affection, his parents welcomed her with open arms, the rest of the Marauders promoted her selective rule breaking and Alice gave her emotional stability. She was meant to be _here_, in the wizarding world, with the best people she had ever known.

Earlier in the night, Lily had been scared to leave the muggle world behind but now she realized that everything she loved and cared about wasn't a part of that life. And even though the times were getting darker and uncertain, she knew that she was put on this earth to fight for what she held dear. Even if Severus and his new friends were against her, she would still persevere.

"3 -2 -1! **HAPPY NEW YEAR**!"

"Happy New Year, Lily," James said softly as he offered her a fresh flute and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. And that was when she realized there was only one thing that would make the night more of a success than it already was.

"James," Lily grinned as she put the champagne down on one of the tables. Confidence burst through her. "Would you mind giving me a tour of the house?"

"Now?" he asked, a bit confused.

"Yes, _now_."

"Whatever you heart desires, Lily bug," he slurred and then took her hand to guide her through the crowd. She giggled softly to herself as he began to grandiosely present all the portraits, statues and other decorations that littered the house.

"And where do you sleep?" she offered sweetly. James was completely oblivious to her intentions and quickly dragged her up a large staircase towards his bedroom.

"So that's Sirius' room down there. I _told _him that the third floor had bigger rooms but he insisted on being in my hallway. And this – this is my room. Shit, I forgot to clean, didn't I?"

He laughed to himself as he frantically scooped up two large piles of dirty Quidditch robes. Secretly behind him, Lily closed the door and zipped down the side of her dress, letting it fall to the floor. When James finally turned around, she almost lost her composure when she saw his shocked expression. His eyes were cartoonishly popping out of his head and his jaw had dropped so far that she could see the back of his throat. Instead of laughing, she sucked in a quick breath, put her hands on her hips and gave him a lustful stare.

"Take me to bed, James Potter."

His eyes promptly rolled into the back of his head as he passed out.

Lily couldn't hold it in any longer. After her boyfriend dropped to the floor, she burst into a huge fit of laughter and slapped her thigh with glee. When her lungs finally started to hurt, she caught her breath and wiped away several tears. Her gaze wandered around his room and she offhandedly caught her confident look in the mirror on his desk.

"Job well done, Evans!" she praised herself with smirk.

"Goodbye 1977, _hello_ 1978," she heard James whisper incredulously. Before she could move, he snapped up from the floor and thrust her into his arms, the dirty robes long forgotten. As he carried her to his bed, she continued to laugh and thank her lucky stars that her life was finally starting to turn around.

* * *

**Author's Note**: HA! Poor James got too excited about sexy Lily XD I've noticed that when I write Lily and James, their individual chapters are always much longer. I think it's because they are so adorable together!

And good news! I've got some free time coming up so updates might momentarily be coming a lot faster.

Oh and please review if you have the time. I love to hear from my readers!


	18. A Woman Left Lonely

**Disclaimer**: This chapter has some words/phrases that are not in English! Here is a handy little translator for you:

Fête (French) – party

Mes filles (French) – my girls

Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Magie (Dutch) – Amsterdam School of Magic

Santé! (French) – Cheers!

Mes amies (French) – my female friends

Génial! (French) – Great/Excellent!

Idioot (Dutch) – idiot

Also, the character Lotte de Graaf is combined effort between me and PitchBlue on HPFF :D

* * *

"_A woman left lonely will soon grow tired of waiting. She'll do crazy things, yeah, on lonely occasions_." - Janis Joplin, 1971

* * *

Marianne Minot sighed deeply as she took a large sip from her crystal champagne flute and tried to ignore the intense boredom that was creeping into her already sour mood. She quickly tipped her head back, finished her drink and set it on the elaborately decorated table next to her with a practiced scowl. Although she was part of the prominent European pureblood society, she detested the social events that went along with her status.

As the alcohol burned through her veins and made her feel slightly lightheaded, the Ravenclaw delicately wiped the side of her mouth and scanned the large crowd to find her childhood best friends, Valentine Courtenay and Lotte de Graaf. However, the task proved to be too difficult. Even though Marianne had sharp eyesight, the Valois Ball was the first major_ f__ê__te _of the New Year and the last one before the Holidays ended, which meant that a large number of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students were present and eager to network with the famous members of the European magical community. She quickly considered casting a tracking spell but thought against it.

Marianne sighed again and smoothed down her pleated black silk robes, desperately wishing that she could leave the Ball and go wander the streets of Paris one more time before she went back to Hogwarts. She longed to be on the Left Bank of the city, near the bohemian intellectuals and artists, but instead, her father forced her to stay on the Right Bank, with the stuffy sycophants and brown-nosers. Yet, as the song changed to a slow waltz, Marianne's eyes dropped to the floor. As much as she wanted to leave, she knew her place.

"Champagne, Mademoiselle?" a uniformed butler asked as he held out a full tray of glasses.

"Please," Marianne muttered softly as she reached out and plucked one from the silver serving dish. As the butler wandered off, she slowly took a sip and closed her eyes. For a brief moment, she felt composed and unruffled … but her serenity was shattered when a booming female voice called out to her.

"Miss Minot! How _enchanting_ to see you!"

Marianne's eyes flew open and saw the Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, Sabine Artro, gliding towards her with open arms. The Ravenclaw tried not to show her indifference as she accepted her embrace and gave her the customary kisses on the cheek. When they stepped back, Professor Artro gave an approving cluck as she evaluated Marianne's appearance and the younger female assessed her teacher as well. Sabine's signature flaming red hair was coiled and elegantly piled on the top of her head and her dark blue and gold robes showed off her small waist and large bosom. She looked absolutely glamorous and Marianne was not surprised when several of the male guests paused to look her up and down. The woman always attracted exuberant attention wherever she went.

"How is your evening, Professor?" Marianne asked, feigning interest in the pureblood's social life.

"Oh, it's been absolutely wonderful," Sabine replied. Her devious grin turned into a slight frown as she put her hands on the eldest Minot's shoulders. "But listen, I'm actually looking for Loki. Have you seen him?"

"Professor Stotch?" Marianne responded quizzically, referring to Hogwarts' standing Herbology Professor. "No, I didn't know he was here." An awkward silence hung in the air, which gave the Ravenclaw an opportunity to read her Professor's body language. The woman tried to appear unnerved but Marianne could see the insecurity in her stance. She was extremely perturbed. As the silence continued, Sabine sniffed haughtily, which only confirmed Marianne's suspicions.

"_MARIANNE!_" Valentine Courtenay shrieked from across the room, immediately breaking the tension, and Marianne's stony expression cracked with a satisfied smile. The copper haired veela latched onto her childhood friend with excitement and started to admire her expensive black robes as the rest of the guests in the room eyed them curiously.

"You_ have_ to let me borrow these," Valentine grinned before pulling the Ravenclaw into a large hug.

"Please," Marianne smirked softly after giving her two kisses on her cheek, "we both know you never wear black."

"And besides," Lotte de Graaf muttered as she appeared over Valentine's shoulder, "you're much too tall for Marianne's clothes. And the top would barely fit -"

"Well _maybe_ that's a good thing!" Valentine exclaimed as she frowned and looked down at her chest. "_Mes filles_ aren't attracting any attention tonight."

"What are you talking about?" Lotte said comically before pulling Marianne into a hug herself. "You were just talking to that dark haired fellow and he couldn't stop staring down your oh so _dazzling_ gold robes."

"_Ahem_," Professor Artro coughed, breaking the girls' conversation. Marianne's natural smile turned into a scowl when she remembered that the woman was still standing next to her. She excused herself from Lotte's relaxed embrace and proverbially pulled her snobbish, pureblood mask over her face.

"Professor, I would like you to meet my two best friends in the entire world," the Ravenclaw said haughtily and she slyly wrapped her arms around both their waists. "The illustrious Valentine Courtenay." The Beauxbatons student smirked and jutted her chin, striking a pose. "And the intelligent Lotte de Graaf." The Netherlands native looked down her slightly upward flicked nose and leaned towards Marianne in support.

"Ah, I ran into your father earlier Miss de Graaf," the Defense Against the Dark Arts preened. "He said you've just been accepted to the Graduate Potions Program at Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor Magie. I'm surprised. You must have a very powerful connection there. They don't accept applicants before they take their NEWTs." Marianne grinned, waiting for her dark blonde friend to pounce.

"You're right, they don't. In order to be accepted, I had to take my NEWTs during my Sixth Year. So I don't have a powerful connection," Lotte answered coldly. Her tone then turned sarcastic as she inspected her short red nails. "I happen to be a _genius_."

"Sabine!" a voice shouted from across the room, saving the woman from responding, and Marianne recognized Professor Stotch as he weaved through the guests towards them. "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"Don't worry, Loki. It's always impossible to find anyone at these Balls," the female Professor said with a seductive smile. "I was just talking with Miss Minot and her charming international friends here." Loki's dark brown eyes quickly darted from Marianne to Lotte and when he finally settled on Valentine, the Beauxbatons student pursed her lips and discretely stuck out her chest.

"Hello again," she purred as she extended her fingers towards him. "I didn't catch your name the first time. Loki, is it?" As the Herbology Professor aristocratically kissed the top of her hand, Marianne snuck a glance over at her other Professor. Sabine's demeanor radiated with jealousy when she put two and two together and realized that Loki was the dark haired man the girls were talking about earlier.

"You must excuse us ladies," she said rapidly as she pulled on Professor Stotch's arm and started to lead him away from Valentine, "but we have some urgent business to attend to. Enjoy the rest of your evening!"

"That's the third woman she's pissed off tonight," Lotte muttered playfully as the group of girls watched the woman drag her colleague across the room.

"I'm not surprised. She is a veela after all," Marianne laughed as she flagged down a butler and her two friends grabbed champagne for themselves. For the first time that night, the pureblood beamed with completely happiness. She held up her flute for a toast. "_Santé mes amies_. I'm glad we can see each other one last time before we go back to our separate schools."

"_Santé!" _they responded and the three girls clinked their glasses ceremoniously before taking sips. The live band started to play a foxtrot and immediately, an eager wizard popped out of nowhere and asked Valentine to dance. Once he passed her visual test, she smirked back at her friends before letting him escort her on the dance floor.

"You know," Lotte drawled after taking another sip, "you looked like you really enjoyed pushing that woman's buttons. When did you turn into such a snob?"

"Can't a witch brag about her friends?" Marianne asked as she rolled her eyes.

"You're evading the question," the Dutch girl prodded. "And it's not just tonight – I've noticed it in your letters and when you visited a week ago. We may live in two different countries but I can tell that you're turning into a cold-hearted bitch. Why." Her last sentence was not a question. It was a demand for an explanation.

Marianne gulped and turned away from her friend's accusatory gaze, saying nothing. Her face turned to stone but she shivered beneath her façade.

"It's because of that Lupin boy, isn't it?"

"No!" Marianne snapped as she turned around, her lip curling upwards with a soft snarl. "It has nothing to do with him."

"Thank you for still answering my question," Lotte laughed smartly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Now what did he do?"

Marianne slowly took another sip of champagne. Outside, her demeanor was steadfast and distant. Inside, her mind was whirling and screaming, unable to shoulder all the unbearable pain she felt. It begged her for release. Anything. Everything. Something to give her the will to carry on. And for one moment, she let her guard down and shot Lotte a fleeting sorrowful glance.

"He kissed me," she said barely above a whisper.

"_What?!_ Bravo, that's fabulous news!" Lotte exclaimed as she put her hands on her shoulders. Her face barely contained her smile and several people looked over at them after her happy outburst. However, Marianne's mask resumed its place and she quickly pushed her friend's hands off her as she tried not make a scene.

"No," she growled softly as her fists balled up by her sides, "it's not. I don't care _what_ his bloody secret is, that boy -"

"Secret?" her companion interrupted as she raised a brow. Her happy smile turned into a confused frown.

"It. Doesn't. Matter," Marianne said through her teeth as her expression hardened. "He rejected me. And then he _completely_ ignored for the rest of the term, _even_ when I tried to confront him on several occasions. He took another girl – another seventh year Ravenclaw, mind you – to the Winter Ball and then he had the _nerve_ to _kiss_ me the same night? His secret is irrelevant – his conduct is inexcusable." A silence hung in the air as the two girls stared intensely at each other and Marianne finally sighed and pushed a couple of stray hairs behind her ear. When she caught her friend's accusatory glare, she shrunk slightly.

"I know what you're going to say - that I should at least hear him out. But no matter what his secret is, Lotte, how can I forgive him for his behavior? He swallowed me whole and then spit me back out. I can't be treated that way." As her friend opened her mouth to respond, Marianne's cover promptly returned again and she held out her hand and shook her head. "I can't talk about this anymore either. This discussion is over and shall never be brought up again. I need a cigarette."

"Fine, go," the Dutch pureblood muttered as she finally dropped her arms to her sides. "But I still think you're being a complete _idioot_."

"_Duly Noted_," Marianne sneered as she grandly pulled her thick black cloak out of her small bottomless evening bag. She hastily put it over her shoulders and then brushed by Lotte towards the grand open doors. The pureblood shivered when she stepped out into the cold night air and immediately pulled out her wand, cigarettes and vintage black holder from her purse. She lit the tobacco as soon as she could, inhaled deeply and looked out at the exquisite view of the French capital. Marianne didn't shy away from the railing and watched the Muggles carelessly walk on the sidewalk below her; like most pureblood houses in the city, the Valois Mansion was protected by a Fidelius Charm.

"Well if it isn't Miss Marianne Minot," a voice drawled from across the balcony. Marianne turned sharply and saw Rabastan Lestrange emerge from the shadows. "I would have recognized that _scowl_ anywhere." She almost cursed in annoyance but as she took another drag from her cigarette, the pureblood's cold hard façade grew stronger. It was the only way she knew how to deal with gits like Lestrange.

"Rabastan," she said indifferently as she focused her attention elsewhere. He was intrigued by her never the less and slowly circled behind her as he sucked on the end of his own cigarette. Marianne continued to look out straight in front of her but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rabastan slyly licking his lips. She remained steadfast as he obstructed her view and leaned against the railing.

"How many times have you been to the Valois Mansion, Miss Minot?" the Frenchman smirked.

"Countless," she sneered as she blew smoke in his face.

"So you know the place very well, no?"

"I do."

"_Génial!_ I need you to give me directions."

"Directions?" Marianne questioned as she took another drag. "To where?"

"It's to – how do you say – a _private_ party," the Slytherin jeered as he mirrored her actions. "It's in the Évreux Wing."

"But those apartments are abandoned," Marianne challenged. "Why are you going there?"

"My my, you ask a lot of questions, Marianne," Rabastan jested with a slight laugh. "And I already told you. I'm going to a _private_ party." His emphasis on the exclusivity of the secret gathering gave her pause. It was almost as if he was taunting her with the information.

"Last one, I promise," Marianne mocked before she took another drag from her cigarette. "Why should I help you?"

"If you give me the information I want," he oozed dramatically as he threw a not so discreet glance at her cleavage, "I will leave you to your cigarette."

"Go up the main staircase to the Fourth Floor, turn left at the second door, then right after the third window. In that hallway, you will find a secret staircase behind the Impressionist landscape painting," she spit out as fast as she could. "Now _leave_."

"As you wish, my lady," Rabastan said with a deep, aristocratic bow. "But I suggest you explore this Mansion more often."

"_Excuse_ me?" Marianne sputtered.

"You must start on the Fifth Floor, not the Fourth, to get to the Évreux Wing."

Rabastan threw her a quick wink and seconds later, vanished into a crowd of people with a swish of his cloak. Marianne threw a glance over her shoulder, making sure that Rabastan had kept his promise, and exhaled easily. However, she caught sight of the Frenchman's smoldering cigarette as she continued to smoke her own and suspicious thoughts filled her head. What was this _private _party? Who was there? What were they doing? And most importantly, why the hell did he ask her for directions when he already knew the way?

Marianne continued to stew as she looked out at the Paris skyline, for Rabastan's taunt was only the tip of the iceberg. She sucked on the end of her cigarette holder as she finally started to process her earlier conversation with Lotte. But her rage and aching distress clouded her judgment and she began to mentally curse Remus Lupin as well. She decided then and there that she was tired of being pushed around by the opposite sex. She was going to take action. The pureblood took another angry drag of her cigarette as she felt her tough disguise fuse itself to her gentle soul.

A newfound anger pulsed through her antagonistic frame of mind. The Ravenclaw took Rabastan's bait and allowed her devilish side to investigate his cryptic challenge. Instead of being rational and levelheaded, Marianne threw her cigarette to the ground, smashed it with her platform suede heels and quickly made her way to the abandoned Évreux Wing. She _had_ to know what was going on.

Once Marianne reached the apartments, she pulled the hood of her black cloak over her head to disguise herself. In the distance, she saw a flickering light near the deserted Ballroom at the end of the hall. After muttering a quick lighting spell, the Prefect crept down the hallway without making a noise. She slyly slipped between the two open doors but became very alarmed when she saw that the Ballroom was completely filled with people dressed exactly like her.

She had found the secret gathering but was not prepared for its purpose.

Her mask suddenly ceased to exist as evil began to radiate from every corner. Fear flooded her senses, washing away her confidence entirely. The room turned dark and cold and in response, Marianne's heart began to race with insecurity. She forced a shaking hand into her pocket as she watched a dark cloud begin to form at the front of the crowd. When it reached a sizeable mass, the pureblood held back a fearful whimper as a cloaked figure fluidly emerged from behind it. When he fully materialized, the wizard sharply pulled back his hood and exhibited his face. His hand reached out and vainly smoothed his perfectly combed over dark hair. When he returned it to his side, his eyes matched his hard and sinister expression.

"Good evening, my faithful," Lord Voldemort hissed.

"My Lord!" the crowd called out as they bowed in unison. Marianne, however, melted into the shadows when she realized she had blindly walked into a Death Eater meeting. How did she let herself get into this deep of trouble? How could she have been so _stupid_?

"I am pleased to see so many of you accepted my invitation," Lord Voldemort sneered. "Our movement is indeed growing by the day."

The middle-aged wizard held out his wand dramatically as he continued.

"Eight years ago, only a few pureblood families believed in the Cause. But our vision is a fundamental concept of life – it is blasphemy to deny the fact that Muggles are_ inferior_ to purebloods. And so, it is time to unite. Too many individuals have labored for the Mission, without knowing that they have brothers and sisters in arms. Therefore, I have called you here tonight to finally bundle together all the branches of my operation. Some of you have high positions in wizarding governments. Some of you wear the judicial robes. Others influence high society and several work in Europe's biggest banking institutions. And a few of you are right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, recruiting the next generation of combatants …"

Marianne's pulse stopped abruptly. Terror clouded her intellect.

"Together, we have the passion, resources, and collective strength to prevail. So it is imperative that we put aside our cultural divisions and deliver a swift and simultaneous blow. Soon, we will show Europe – and the entire world – that _purebloods_ are the superior race. And we will not be silenced!" Lord Voldemort's voice boomed throughout the room and his mouth turned into a sharp smirk as he waved his arm to the side.

"It is now time to welcome another comrade to our movement." Another cloaked figure appeared next to him and the leader quickly snatched the wizard's arm and pulled up his sleeve. His forearm was bare but Marianne knew that was about to change when she saw Lord Voldemort thrust his wand to his skin.

"Do you pledge your service to me? Do you bestow your loyalty to the Mission? Do you accept this pact - this _binding_ covenant - Rabastan Lestrange? Will you give your soul for the Cause?"

Anxiety, dread, panic, fright, and horror consumed her. Rabastan _wanted_ her to be here – to witness him becoming a Death Eater. Before the Frenchman could give his answer, Marianne darted out the doors as scared tears prickled her eyes. She held a hand in front of her mouth to keep from crying out as she dashed down the hallway. The frightened girl promptly sprinted down the hidden staircase and threw herself into the nearest cupboard when she reached one of the main floors. After Marianne slammed the door shut and cast a Silencing Spell, she became one with the dark. Her extreme apprehension painfully left her body as she hysterically sobbed and banged her fists against the wood with guilt and shame.

Her pretentious demeanor was nowhere in sight.

* * *

**Author's Note**: So no Remus in this one, but some background on Marianne and Voldy! If things are a little confusing, that's ok. As you can probably tell by now, individual plots tend to converge during group chapters ;)

I've already written Gemma's chapter so it should be out tomorrow! I can't tell you if my updates will always be this speedy but I had some on my hands. You should be able to read a new chapter every 1-2 weeks, I can promise you that!

And Sabine's playby is Polly Walker, James Purefoy is Loki and Ralph Fiennes is Voldemort. Please review, I love hearing from everyone!


	19. Fly Like An Eagle

**Disclaimer**: Tiberius Morrigan and his notes are loosely based on Hunter S. Thompson and Gonzo Journalism.

* * *

"_Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future_." - Steve Miller Band, 1978

* * *

Gemma Rawnsley grunted loudly as she slammed _The Dream Oracle_ shut. Out of annoyance, she flung it across the room and didn't bother to look where it landed. She dramatically hurled herself against the brown cushions below her and blew her bangs out of her eyes. The Seer's breath finally returned to its normal rhythm as she stared up at the tapestry-covered ceiling.

When Professor Garside first gave her the spare Hogwarts classroom to further explore her Divination studies during her Fifth Year, it was barren and white. However, two days later, she turned it into in her own sanctuary, complete with hand painted walls, a sizeable tree, a babbling brook in the corner and copious amounts of flowers and pillows. It was a small space but the Seer had managed to decorate every single part of it.

After a deep sigh, Gemma sat up and frowned.

"Where did that bloody book go?"

She scrambled over one of her patchwork quilts and pushed several colored papers aside. After a couple of minutes, Gemma stopped flinging her belongings and laughed in triumph when she found _The Dream Oracle _under one of her shirts. She settled back into her pillow nest and flipped the pages under her thumb, hoping that if she read the passage one more time, she would learn something new.

_The key to dream interpretation is vigilant note taking. When a witch or wizard desires the true answers to dream riddles, it is imperative that they look at every single fact. Thus, students of oneiromancy must record their dreams in a dream diary in order to accurately decode their visions. Despite Tiberius Morrigan's controversial findings, organization and practice are the only crucial elements to deciphering dreams. _

"What a load of bullocks!" Gemma cried as she threw the book again. "I've been doing _all_ of that and I still can't get any-fucking-thing right!" The Seer frowned deeply as she snuggled back into her pillows. Her quest for answers was going nowhere and at this rate, she was never going to learn what her dreams were telling her.

The Hufflepuff's sudden hunt for information started just after the Winter Ball. Two weeks prior to the occasion, when Gemma had fallen asleep in Sirius' bed, she dreamed about Remus Lupin's future - specifically his reconciliation with Marianne Minot. It was like the Seer was stuck inside the werewolf's head and she experienced all five of his senses as he cuddled the French Ravenclaw in a white bed. Her dream was so vivid that she still caught random whiffs of sandalwood and vanilla in the air.

Therefore, when Remus charged off into the night to find Marianne, Gemma was so sure that they would get together. She felt like all the signs were finally converging and the universe would finally be at peace. After all, her big dreams about Sirius had stopped after they finally admitted their feelings for each other.

But they didn't reconcile. And Remus fell asleep in a bush, not a bed.

As a result, Gemma decided to read _The Dream Oracle_ cover to cover every couple of days. It bugged Sirius to no end but he supported her quest to better understand her magical gift by giving her space. And she desperately needed the practice time to puzzle over her dreams. Was she seeing fake visions? Or were her visions still accurate, only farther in the future? She couldn't be sure. Gemma huffed and scowled slightly as she looked up at the ceiling again and recited the passage in her head.

"Despite Tiberius Morrigan's controversial findings," she quoted and then suddenly stopped speaking as her mouth flopped open. Why hadn't she thought of it before? If _The Dream Oracle_ couldn't help her interpret her power, it was possible that Tiberius Morrigan could. After all, the famous scientist had conducted his research at Hogwarts ten years ago when he was the acting Divination Professor during the late 1960s and his notes were probably still within the castle walls. She quickly snapped up from the ground and stuffed her wand into the waistband of her uniform skirt. Gemma didn't need to rely on her Seer abilities to know where the notes would be.

There was only one place in the castle that housed controversial academic documents: the Restricted Section.

The Hufflepuff quickly and quietly trotted down the stairs towards the fourth floor, knowing the way by heart; she rarely entered the school's library, but when she did, she always broke into the Restricted Section in order to do some illegal research. When Gemma finally reached the fourth floor, she tactfully maneuvered around the library's bookcases, tables and chairs without disturbing the eerie silence that hung in the air. She expertly evaded the swinging rope that sectioned off the dangerous books and blended into the dark.

She made sure not to make a sound as she scoured the M authors but almost squealed with glee when she found "Notes on Studies 21-23: Dream Interpretation" by Tiberius Morrigan. Gemma quickly plucked the book from the shelf and hightailed it out of the library, leaving no trace behind. She raced back up the stairs just before the main clock tower struck midnight.

Gemma flopped back onto her pillows and opened the book. Immediately, several tattered and ink stained papers fell into her lap and she gasped when she realized that they were never actually bound the book's spin; Morrigan had simply stuffed them into an empty book shell and called it a day. Gemma sighed as she sifted through the papers, reading random bits of information that he had written on all their sides. Yet, suddenly, she came across a page with a large light bulb on the front of it and it was paperclipped to several pages of notes.

"Crazy nutter," she chuckled softly and then flipped the light bulb over to reveal his ramblings.

_What I have I learned? Practice and note taking can only get you so far, that's what I've fucking learned. _

_So what's the score here? What's next? _

_In order to fully understand your dreams, I've found you need to put down the pencil and expand your mind. That's something the fucks out there don't want to believe but it's true. It's insane, they say. Bullocks. You have to cross that daunting barrier and feel the pulsating energy behind it. You have to feel like you're part of something – everything is coming together to make one glorious connection and you're at the center of it. And that fantastical feeling will lead you to an understanding. An understanding that comes from knowing that your dreams will shape the future but _you are their master_, not the other way around. Your power will prevail. You can go Up or Down but you have to go somewhere._

"Up or down?" Gemma asked out loud and then flipped through several more blank pages until she came across two potion recipes. They didn't have names; one was labeled "#1" and the other was "#2". Intrigued, the young Seer read his notes on both of the constructed potions.

_#1_

_Creeping feeling in my spine – can't tell if it's the potion or nervousness. Metallic taste in my mouth. Potion again? _

_Bursting smile. It hurts to smile. But I can't stop. _

_Floor starts to ripple, the walls are breathing. But it's oddly comforting. _

_Dreams begin. Dreams or visions? Can't be sure. _

_If I move around the room, I see different destinies. For all walks of life. _

_A small shining star in the corner. Must study its habits. _

_6 hours later. Fuzzy. Very fuzzy. My brain hurts. _

_#2_

_Relaxed muscles. No stress. No pain. Ughhhhhhh._

_Flying. _

_Sleepingggg - _

_Awake 6 hours later. Vivid dreams. Much clearer. Easier to interpret. Clearer. Much clearer._

_No other beings, just me. And my future. Like walking down memory lane … but the future. Future! _

_Much clearer dreams. Must try again. In the name of science, dammit! _

"What. The. Fuck," Gemma said incredulously as she reached the end of his notes. She quickly lit up a cigarette and reread the entire stack of paper. And then lit another cigarette and immediately did it again. She sighed and then briefly skimmed over the potion recipes once more, assessing their ingredients and procedures. They would be easy enough to brew –

"Wait a second, how the _hell_ did he get that much Peruvian Vipertooth venom for the second one?" the Seer asked herself as she knitted her brows in confusion. "It's so fucking rare -"

She stopped mid sentence and threw herself back into his papers. However, his writing turned very introspective and did not mention anything about his black market connection so Gemma finally put his papers down. She frowned and blew her bangs out of her face again. She was going around in circles; Tiberius Morrigan's insane findings were leading her nowhere. She quickly placed the papers back in the book shell and stuffed it under a pillow. She knew she'd have to return the stolen item sometime but right now, she had a mischievous boyfriend to attend to.

Gemma slipped out of her room and made her way towards the Room of Requirement to meet Sirius. During the beginning of their relationship, they ran into the age-old question – your bed or mine? However, as their romance progressed, they realized that Sirius had no idea how to tap the Helga Hufflepuff tune to get into her common room and she didn't have a clue how to appease the Fat Lady. Therefore, if either of them stayed out late, they decided to spend time in the Room of Requirement to avoid getting shut out in the hallway in the middle of the night.

"There she is!" Sirius called when she rounded the corner. Gemma's early frustrations faded and she smiled as opened her arms and hugged him. However her nose crinkled with disgust when she smelled the dried dungbombs and nettle tea leaves on his robes. Before she could ask about his latest prank on the Slytherins, he gave her ass a quick squeeze and then peppered the side of her neck with kisses.

"Come on lover boy," she snorted. "You have to clean yourself up before you start barking up that tree." Before he could protest, she dragged him into the mysterious room after imagining a large yellow four-poster bed, a wooden clawfoot bathtub, a sunset view of the Mediterranean Sea, and of course, massive amounts of flowers and pillows.

The next morning, Gemma rolled over and slowly climbed out of bed. She quickly glanced behind her to see that Sirius was still sleeping and tried to be as quiet as possible as she tugged on her uniform. The Hufflepuff was about to put on one of her black flats when she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist. Sirius pulled her back into bed and she let out a humorous yelp as he squeezed her tighter.

"Come on, you don't _have _to leave right now, do you?"

Gemma closed her eyes and sucked in a depth breath as she savored the moment. There was nothing like being in the arms of Sirius Black, she quickly decided. His spicy aura always overpowered her senses but it was mysteriously comforting and soothing. It made her restless soul feel secure and balanced. It was her shelter from the storm. And it was addicting as all hell. Gemma felt her heart race as his breath tickled the side of her neck and internally groaned. Although she hated leaving his embrace, she knew that if she dallied any longer, she'd have to finish what he started.

"You may have a free period but I have Charms in twenty minutes," she muttered as she woefully unwrapped his arms from her waist, "and I haven't eaten breakfast. I'll see you before your Quidditch practice this afternoon, ok?" After she stood up and straightened her yellow and black house tie, she saw Sirius' idiotic, but charming smile and felt a crack of desire splinter her core. She quickly raced over to the bed, jumped into his lap and captured his lips once more. Just one more moment, she told herself, one more kiss to get her through the day.

"Ok, your stomach is grumbling," Sirius laughed as he pulled away from her lips and discretely pushed her towards the door. "Go eat. _Please_."

"_Fine_. I love you, Sirius," she expressed softly before giving him a quick kiss and exiting the Room of Requirement. As she headed down towards the Great Hall, Gemma felt her heart grow heavy. She immediately plopped down at the Hufflepuff table and reached out to grab several fresh bread rolls. As she quickly cut them in half and slabbed butter across their surfaces, Giovanni Costa hopped into the seat next to her. His grin was about to explode off his face.

"Merlin's nutsack!" Gemma exclaimed, physically jumping up in the air. "A bloody warning would be nice!"

"WE DID IT!" Gio yelled, raising his hands in the air in triumph. Behind him, Kaia put a hand on Gio's left shoulder and squeezed it while Gregory put his arms around the other two members of the band, Kieran and Ethan. All of them brimmed with the same amount of radical enthusiasm.

"Huh?" Gemma managed to get out before she took a sip of pumpkin juice.

"We've been signed!" Kaia cried out. "Apparently Zidane Zito told his father about our Winter Ball show and now he wants us to record an album during the next Hogsmeade visit!" Gemma promptly spit out her pumpkin juice in surprise and it sprayed all over the table in front of her. Kieran started to howl with laughter.

"I hate that we're going to do it on Valentine's Day - it's going to ruin my plans with my new lady friend," Ethan grumbled playfully but then his frown turned into a huge smile. "But it will totally be worth it."

"You're damn right it will!" Gregory beamed as he ran an incredulous hand through his hair. "Fucking _hell_, we're really going to cut an album, mates! If it tops the charts, I'm not coming back to school. I'm just packing up my shit and moving to the city. Fuck 'em!"

"You ok there, kid?" Gio asked as he quickly waved his wand cleaned up her mess. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and pushed a stray blonde hair out of her face. "You look really pale."

Gemma tried to conceal her fright and overwhelming sense of dread by putting on a brave smile but inside, she was shaking. She knew she was _supposed_ to be happy for her best friends – after all, it was a big moment for their musical careers – but she couldn't help but let her thoughts turn selfish and immature. Why did they have to get signed? Why did they have to abandon her? What was she going to do when they left school and she had to return in the fall? Her thoughts quickly turned darker when she realized that the members of Tarantellegra wouldn't be the only ones finishing their time at Hogwarts this year.

In a couple of months, Sirius would be gone too.

Loneliness and uncertainty cut through Gemma like a knife and she almost bit her lip in anguish. Fear overloaded her senses, causing her mental reasoning to automatically regress back to her years before Hogwarts, when she had no close friends or confidants. When she was on her own. Her thoughts grew cold and detached as she went into survival mode.

Plan. Pack. Run. Plan. Pack. Run. Plan. Pa-

"Hey!" Giovanni exclaimed as he shook her gently to sever her from her thoughts. "I know what you're doing, you little sprite! Stop it. You're not going anywhere and everything is going to be fine, _ok?_"

Gemma almost blurted out something like "You don't know that!", but bit her tongue when she replayed her words over in her head. The Seer's brain whirred to life as she frantically tried to remember all the details of her latest dreams so she could try and kill the uncertainty in her bones. She failed miserably, however, and her hand began to shake under the table as her thoughts turned desperate.

_No other beings, just me. And my future. Like walking down memory lane … but the future. Future! _

"I'm not going anywhere. You're right, everything will be fine. Who knows, maybe I'll even make a guest appearance on your album," the Seer said with a smile, her confidence returning as a plan suddenly started to form in her head. "Listen, while I have you here, I need you to get me something. Something really rare."

"What exactly?" he asked, raising a quizzical brow.

"Peruvian Vipertooth venom."

After many bribes, favors and little white lies, Gemma received her black market item a week later and it only took her a couple more days to finish Tiberius Morrigan's controversial #2 potion. Although #1 had more accessible ingredients, Morrigan's notes described an onslaught of dreams and fortunes from the objects around him; #2 only involved his own destiny. Although she knew both potions were dangerous, #2 sounded like a better option. And besides, Gio hadn't been able to get the full amount of venom needed so the potion would be weaker anyways.

Or so she hoped.

Gemma quietly waited a couple days until Sirius had to set up another Slytherin prank and then stole away to her private sanctuary. After stirring the shining blue potion counter clockwise, she bit her lip as she transferred it to a tall, ornate glass. The Seer checked the instructions before placing a slotted spoon over the top of the glass. She took a deep breath and dropped a small amount of venom mixed with water through the spoon. The potion immediately sizzled and according to Morrigan's notes, she had to drink it all before it stopped moving.

For a few brief moments, Gemma considered aborting her plan … but she_ had_ to know her future. She had to know what to expect when the critical time came at the end of the term. It was the only way she knew how to cope with her frightening reality without packing up and leaving.

"Bottom's up," the Hufflepuff muttered before gulping down the potion. It only took a couple seconds for her to fall asleep and start dreaming.

* * *

_The young girl rubbed her eyes as she tried to focus on the swirling vortex in front of her. Where did it lead? She had no idea but she felt compelled to enter it. After she stepped inside it, the vortex threw her into a twisting tailspin and she finally landed on the snowy ground with a _thump!

_The blonde took in her surroundings – there were a couple of quaint buildings surrounded by bare trees. Suddenly one bright green leaf floated towards the ground in front of her and immediately the scene turned chaotic as large black tendrils circled into the air. Fear overwhelmed her. In a panic, she bolted and ran into another universe entirely. _

_The world turned dark as walls grew out of the ground. A torch extinguished itself. Quickly, someone forced a cup to her mouth and forced her to drink something that tasted like metal. She tried to spit it out with vigor but the figure pinched her nose, making her swallow out of necessity. The girl quickly saw the world turn into unending fractals and she scrunched her eyes closed to make the scary delusions stop. _

_When she opened her eyes, the cosmos morphed into a beautiful coastline on a sunny day. The waves crashed on the rocks and sprayed her with salt water. She took a deep breath and finally felt a calm roll over her. _

"_Welcome," a long blonde haired boy next to her said with an American accent and a smile. He held a colorful surfboard under his left arm. "You've finally made it." _

* * *

Gemma screamed at the top of her lungs as she was thrown out of the psychedelic dream. She immediately popped up, scurried over to her pillow fort and flung herself under the fluffy objects. She started to hyperventilate as she wrapped her arms around herself and started to rock back and forth.

"What. The. Fuck!" she exclaimed as her mind continued to whir with panic.

* * *

**Author's Note**: More clues, more mystery! Poor gipsy Gemma, she and Marianne are starting to get a bit desperate!

Aeryn's chapter should be up … in a week? I think? And don't worry, everything is going to make a lot more sense after the group chapter, set at Hogsmeade on Valentine's Day ;) Anyways, feel free to review/PM me if you have any questions! I'll answer them as best I can without giving anything away!


	20. Werewolves of London

"_Aaahoo! Werewolves of London!_" Warren Zevon, 1978

* * *

"There are several color classifications within the Dwarf Star category …"

Aeryn Miller bit her lip as she wrote down her thoughts on the parchment in front of her.

"Red Dwarfs are high-mass main sequence stars – oh shoot, no! _Low_ mass!"

The Gryffindor grunted softly as she reached out and grabbed her magic eraser. After correcting her mistake, she continued her Astronomy essay and copied the different classifications from her notes. When she reached the end of the page, she hummed to herself quietly as she dipped her feather quill into her inkpot. Although Astronomy wasn't her strongest subject, she enjoyed the work. It also gave her something to do while Peter spent the night with the rest of the Marauders. He had told her they were planning a prank but Aeryn couldn't remember who they were targeting - in her opinion, all of the Marauder pranks tended to blend together overtime.

However, she allowed herself to be distracted when she saw a group of Ravenclaw Quidditch players enter the Library. Aeryn realized that they were all in her NEWT class and discreetly inspected them as they began to settle a couple of tables away from her.

"Astronomy is bloody useless," Walter Davies groaned as he shoved open his textbook. "I'm going to be an athlete, not an astronaut."

"Well you_ could_ have dropped it after your OWLs if you didn't fail your other subjects," Jonathan Boot jeered as he playfully shoved the Captain.

"How are you in Ravenclaw again?" Timothy McLaughlin teased from across the table.

"Up yours," Walter growled.

As the boys began to chuckle and get down to their work, Aeryn found herself staring at the only girl in the group. The Ravenclaw Seeker meekly pulled out her parchment and quill before she caught the Gryffindor's gaze. Aeryn couldn't help but give her a small smile and then averted her eyes back to her notes. The brown haired Scot paused slightly and then shoved her supplies back into her bag. Aeryn's eyebrows scrunched in confusion when the girl gave her teammates an empty excuse and headed towards her.

"I'm sorry for barging in on your study session," she apologized after she plopped into the chair next to her, "but I have to get away from those berks. They wanted to use my notes but I've had it with them. I'll be as quiet, I swear. Pretend I'm not even here." The small Seeker's tenacity flabbergasted Aeryn and she couldn't help but fall silent as she watched her new tablemate sort her things. The blonde, however, shrugged her shoulders and went back to her work.

"I'm Cora McKnight, by the way," the Ravenclaw interrupted again. Aeryn looked up from her parchment and saw her extending her hand towards her. "You're Peter Pettigrew's girlfriend, right?"

"Yes, I am. And I know who you are! You had an amazing grab against Hufflepuff," she answered merrily as she shook her hand. She gave her another soft smile before averting her eyes back to her homework. Aeryn expected her new companion to remain silent, but Cora continued the conversation, despite her earlier promise.

"Well the game was a wee bit longer than Walter would have liked, but thank you," she blushed as she dipped her pen in her inkpot. "He's been ramping up our practices – all thanks to _your _Captain – so I spend all my time with a group of bowfing boys. It's driving me up a bloody wall!" The Scot threw her hands up in the air with disgust but hesitated when she realized she was doing the exact opposite of her pledge. "Sorry. I said I would be quiet. I'll shut up now."

Silence finally enveloped them, but as Aeryn pressed her quill against her parchment, she realized she actually liked Cora's noisy interruptions. They were entertaining and refreshing in comparison to Peter and the rest of the Marauders' mature sense of humor.

As the Seeker began to shuffle her class notes into a neat stack, Aeryn suddenly felt the need to connect with her fellow female. As she continued compare Cora to Peter and his band of merry pranksters, the Gryffindor recognized that she was curious about her new tablemate. She was very thankful for her new friendship with Lily Evans and Gemma Rawnsley but deep down, Aeryn craved something more fulfilling and Cora seemed to fit the description she was looking for.

"You know," she said after coughing lightly, "Please feel free to tell me anything. I know what it's like to always be surrounded by males."

"Aye, I suppose you do," Cora chuckled after looking up from her essay. "I thought Walter Davies was bad, but it must be extremely tiring being around your goons."

"They aren't _that_ bad," Aeryn said as she playfully rolled her eyes. "Sirius is a bit much sometimes, but I know he's just in love. James has calmed down, thank Merlin. And Remus is moody, but Peter makes up for all of it. He's just …" The girl quickly looked down at her promise ring on her left hand. "… Well, he's just amazing. The best boyfriend a girl could ask for."

"That's sweet," Cora smiled as she flipped over her parchment to continue writing. "Well good for you. Hopefully I can find a love like yours someday. Until then, I'll be stuck with _them_." The Seeker nodded over to the rest of the team behind her and then laughed. Aeryn couldn't but let out a slight giggle herself as the two girls went back to their work.

Another stretch of silence fell over them. Aeryn tried to concentrate on the conclusion of her Astronomy homework but felt compelled to check if Cora was still next to her. The Ravenclaw didn't notice her stare and continued to let her quill fly over her parchment.

As Cora sighed deeply, Aeryn suddenly felt the need to bond with her again. She couldn't explain it but there was something about the girl that made her feel at complete ease. Maybe it was because she had a quirky sense of humor … but when Aeryn truly thought about it, she realized that they were both girls who were lost in a sea of boys. They had complete empathy for each other even though they had just met, which explained Cora's many attempts to engage her in conversation - she was so eager to open up because she knew she could be completely honest and understood.

The unexpected revelation caused a smile to tug at Aeryn's lips. She coughed discretely again to get her new friend's attention.

"Have you done your star chart yet?"

"No, I've been putting it off," Cora chortled. She welcomed the distraction wholeheartedly. "Have you?"

"Nope," Aeryn replied with a small laugh, "I completely procrastinated. Tonight is a perfect night to draw it all out, because of the Full Moon, but it's so cloudy that I know I won't be able to see _anything_. So I have to do it the long way and calculate everything by hand. I know it's due tomorrow but I have the time – Peter and his mates are busy doing Merlin knows what. _Ugh_, I'm so bad at maths though! This is going to be torture!"

"Well you're in luck," Cora said with a slight smirk. "You happen to be sitting next to a maths genius. I have no problem crunching numbers, I just can't remember the names of all the damn planets. It's like they go in one ear and go right back out the other." A slow grin spread across her face after she threw a glance back at her rowdy teammates. "Bloody idiots. Well, it seems like we're going to have to work together to get this thing done on time. I'm certainly not sitting with them anymore."

"Seems you're right," Aeryn said gleefully. "I'm almost done with my essay, are you close to finishing?"

"On my last sentence …," Cora said determinately as her hand flew across the page. "Done! Ok, let's make this star chart our bitch." Aeryn couldn't help but let her mouth flop open in surprise and Cora let out an embarrassed laugh. "I can't believe I just said that! Oh, this is bad. Very bad."

"What's so horrible?" Aeryn giggled.

"Walter Davies has _finally _rubbed off on me!"

The two girls fell into a fit of laughter and tried to stifle their fun after the draconian librarian shushed them from across the room. Aeryn's giggle finally settled into a light pant and she threw Cora one last glance before settling down to her homework. The girls continued to playfully work on their star charts until early hours of the morning. They could have accomplished their task with ease but instead, the two teenagers chattered away after every problem set and merrily mismanaged their time.

"How many bells was that?" Cora questioned after they finally plotted the last star on their charts.

"2? 3?" Aeryn said with a slight laugh as she rubbed her eyes. "Merlin, is it really 3 o'clock in the morning? I never stay up this late!"

"Neither do I," Cora snorted as she rolled up her parchment and shoved it into her bag. Before she packed away the rest of her belongings, she shot Aeryn a satisfied look over her left shoulder. "You know, this was fun."

"It was!" Aeryn grinned as she put her quill back into its case. She held Cora's smile for a moment longer and then stood up from her seat and packed away her things. She mirrored the Seeker as she put on her thick winter cloak over her dense wool sweater.

"I don't understand how you can wear that many layers inside the castle," Cora teased. "They've installed permanent Heating Charms in here, you know."

"It's the end of January! It's cold!" Aeryn protested good-humoredly. "And you have thick skin since you practice outside all the time. You're used to shivering."

"Aye," Cora agreed, "but you're still bonkers for wearing three sweaters and a cloak." The girls fell into another fit of laughter and scurried out of the library after the librarian finally kicked them out. After they rounded several corners, Aeryn felt out of breath and stopped abruptly. Cora kept sprinting until she finally realized her new friend had stopped.

"I'm so sorry," she said jovially as she ran a circle around Aeryn, "but Davies has trained me to never stop running!"

"Remind me to kick him then," Aeryn panted with a snort as she finally caught her breath. She shifted her bag to her other shoulder and then held out her hand. "It's been a pleasure Cora. I do hope we can do this again sometime."

"You may not be able to get rid of me," she replied with a smile as she shook her hand firmly. "Finally, I've met someone who understands my pains!"

"I couldn't agree more," Aeryn tittered softly. Cora gave her one last wave and then sprinted towards the Ravenclaw common room, leaving Aeryn alone in the hall. The Gryffindor slowly made her way back to her dorm room, humming joyfully to herself as she climbed up the Tower. Her new friendship with Cora McKnight pushed all thoughts of Peter out of her head as she got ready to go to sleep. What a magical night! She couldn't believe her luck!

The next morning, Aeryn continued to obsess over her study session with the Ravenclaw Seeker as she showered and put on her uniform. Once she checked her reflection in the mirror and shook out her wet curls, the Gryffindor made her way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. It wasn't until Aeryn sat down at the long banquet table that she finally realized that Peter was not next to her.

The feeling was foreign and truth be told, daunting. The Gryffindor immediately felt off-put and her eyes scoured her house table but failed to find her romantic counterpart. Aeryn checked her wristwatch and then frowned. It was half past 7 – the normal time they reconvened in the morning – so where the _hell _was he? Had their prank preparation backfired?

A small pang of panic gathered in the bottom of Aeryn's stomach and grew bigger and bigger as her eyes zipped back and forth across the rest of the Great Hall … but Peter Pettigrew and the rest of the Marauders remained out of sight. However, Aeryn's gaze finally locked on the Hufflepuff table, and more specifically, Gemma Rawnsley.

"Gemma, _hi!_" Aeryn greeted. Her voice with filled over abundant confidence to try and hide her anxiety. "Do you happen to know where Sirius is? I can't find Peter but I figure he's probably with his mates -"

"They're in the Hospital Wing," Gemma muttered as she bit into a piece of toast and read the latest Daily Prophet headline. She pinched the bridge of her nose to try and wake herself up and then took a large gulp of coffee.

"_WHAT?!_" Aeryn screamed, causing several people around them to fall silent in hopes of eavesdropping on their conversation. Gemma looked up from her breakfast in horror when she realized her mistake.

"Shit," the blonde swore. "Shit, shit, shit."

Aeryn didn't wait for an explanation and sprinted out of the Great Hall without delay - she even lost Gemma as she hiked up the stairs. By the time she made it to the Hospital Wing, Aeryn was out of breath but she burst into the room regardless. She put her hands on her knees and heaved deeply as spots slowly faded out of her field of vision. When she finally looked up, she saw Peter standing in the opposite corner of the Wing, his face white with terror.

"Peter!" the girl called desperately as she ran over to her boyfriend. "Merlin, what happened to you? Why is your arm in a sling? And why when were you going to tell me you were injured, hmm? Why did I have to find out from Gemma?"

"Gemma?" a raspy voice croaked behind her.

"Yes, _Gemma_," Aeryn answered snidely as she whipped around … but the venom in her voice instantly vanished when she realized she had lashed out at a heavily injured Remus Lupin. The Marauder's left leg was completely covered in bandages and he wore two fresh gashes on his forehead; next to him, Sirius was passed out in a chair and Lily and James continued to cuddle as they yawned and woke up. Aeryn couldn't help but gasp in shock as she hid behind her hands but her thoughts quickly turned angry again.

"What the hell did you lot _do_ last night? And no lies! I don't care if you have a sacred oath that says you can't divulge a prank's secrets but it's gone too far now!"

"Wait!" Gemma said breathlessly as she skidded to a stop and caused Sirius' eyes to lazily open. The Seer deflated as she suddenly caught Aeryn's confused stare and hung her head in shame. "_Fucking _shit, I've done it again."

"Done what?" Aeryn probed, her nostrils flaring.

"I've run my gob," the Hufflepuff groaned as she crossed her hands over her chest and dug her fingers into her arms. "I was just so tired and you caught me off guard and -"

"It's not your fault," Remus croaked, cutting the girl off. "I knew this was going to happen sooner or later."

"_What_ was going to happen?" Aeryn screeched, her patience finally breaking.

"Prongs, would you kindly give up your seat to Aeryn? I have a bit of explaining to do and I'd rather not tell the entire Hospital Wing," Remus said softly. He gave her a soft smile before slowly sitting upwards and grimacing sharply. Apprehension crept her spine but Aeryn cautiously sat down and scooted herself directly to Remus' side. However, before she looked him in the eyes, she threw a glance at her boyfriend.

"Peter, please tell me what's going on," she pleaded desperately.

"I think Remus needs to do the talking, dear," he mumbled. Aeryn scrunched her eyebrows with confusion as she averted her attention back to the injured Marauder. He started to shake under her gaze as the color slowly drained from his face. The girl immediately felt a swell on concern override her skepticism when she saw the fear in his eyes. Whatever secret he was about to reveal was physically making him sick.

"Remus," Aeryn said soflty and urgently, "what is it?"

"I don't know how to say this," Remus rasped, "so I guess I'm just going to have to spit it out." He ran a shaking hand through his greasy, sandy hair and briefly looked up at the ceiling before continuing. The rest of the group dimly hung their heads, shame tugging at their frowns. "Aeryn, Peter didn't break his arm setting up a prank – he broke it while we were out on the grounds. He was helping me transform."

"Transform?" Aeryn gasped. "Transform into what?" She let her mouth flop open with surprise as the Marauder tried to answer but physically was unable to. His lips refused to cooperate.

"Aeryn," Peter said quietly as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "Remus is a lycan. Every full moon, he turns into a werewolf and we help him - it took us awhile but we're all illegal animagi. We each have our part to play."

"WHAT?" Lily exclaimed before Aeryn could fully react as she hit James on the arm. "You never told me that!"

"I'm sorry Lily, but after Gemma found out -"

"Don't bring me into this," Gemma growled from the other side of the room, "I've already fucked up enough relationships this year."

"- we couldn't risk anyone else knowing about our alter egos."

As the argument fizzled into a steady silence, Aeryn's brain finally started to process Remus' confession. Although the thought of a werewolf at Hogwarts sent terrifying shivers down her spine, Aeryn knew that Remus Lupin was a good man and didn't deserve her prejudice. She'd known him for years and never had he bitten her or caused her any pain. He was a good soul - she couldn't see the monster he claimed to be.

And besides, if Peter and the rest of the Marauders were helping him, then she supposed he was in good hands when he actually was dangerous.

However, another unexpected revelation surfaced when she finally accepted his secret. Weren't these people supposed to be her friends? She spent all her time with them … so why was she the last person to hear the news? Why did they feel the need to tiptoe area her feelings? Didn't they have any compassion?

And that's when Aeryn finally grasped that the people standing around her were never actually her friends. They were _Peter's _friends. They had no idea where she was coming from because they didn't actually_ know_ her. As Aeryn uncomfortably looked down at the floor, she realized that the only person who really understood her was Cora McKnight … but she was just some girl Aeryn had met in the library the night before.

Melancholy crept into her thoughts.

"You knew," Aeryn muttered softly. "You all knew. And you kept it from me."

Her statement was met with the same silence as the others wordlessly showed their guilt; Gemma turned into Sirius' chest to hide her face as James discreetly reached out and grabbed Lily's hand. Aeryn turned to Peter as her expression turned uncharacteristically serious. Although she understood why he wanted to protect his friend, she instantly needed to confirm his allegiance to her.

"Is this it? Is this the only thing you've been keeping from me?" she demanded.

"… Yes," Peter anxiously gulped as the sides of his mouth turned into a twisted frown. He then rushed over and gathered he wrapped his free arm around her waist. "Oh Aeryn, I wanted to tell you for so long, but it wasn't my secret to tell! I'm so sorry, I _promise _I'll make it up to you this Valentine's Day!"

Aeryn sighed heavily and cocked her head to the side as satisfied smile spread across her face. Although she still felt emotionally stung, the Gryffindor realized that Peter and his friends were only trying to protect her, nothing more. She could feel their extreme remorse, which in her eyes meant that they actually did cared about her. Aeryn sighed again and slowly slipped out of Peter's embrace and made her way towards the werewolf next to her.

"I'll keep your secret, Remus," she said as she gave his shoulder a light pat. "My lips are sealed."

* * *

**Author's note**: UGHHHHH, I hate this chapter. But I have to post it or else I will sit here and nitpick the fuck out of it.

So yeah, Aeryn knows about Remus and now she has a new little friend to plot with :D The next chapter will be a group chapter (!) at Hogsmeade and SHIT GOES DOWN. It's definitely going to take me 2 weeks to write it because it's going to be epic.

And thank you so much for all the support, MY READERS ARE THE FRICKIN' SHIT :D :D :D


	21. Let It Grow

"_Let it grow, let it grow, let it blossom, let it flow. In the sun, the rain, the snow, love is lovely, let it grow_." – Eric Clapton, 1974

* * *

"Can I open my eyes?"

"No."

"What about now?"

"Not yet, dear."

"… Now?"

"_Keep_ walking."

"… Ok, what about now? Are we there yet?"

"_No_."

"Are we – _ouch!_ - fucking - did you just lead me into a bush?"

"Sorry love, but you were squirming against me and I sort of … lost track of the terrain."

"Squirming? I'm shivering! You told me you had an_ indoor_ Valentine's Day surprise for me, so I dressed accordingly, thinking it was going to be in a pub or something. Didn't expect to trekking through the bloody snow … Fucking hell, my shoes are going to be ruined. Dammit, I really _like _these fringe moccasin boots – hold on, why are you slowing down? Wait, does this mean -"

"Happy Valentine's Day, Gemma Rawnsley," Sirius Black muttered into her ear as he removed his hands from her eyes and she felt excitement rush through her as she surveyed her surroundings. Had he rented some sort of log cabin in the middle of the woods? Was he going to give her flowers? And more importantly, was he going to shag her senseless?

"A desolate frozen lake. And a tent. A very small, _dirty _tent," she muttered in disbelief as she studied the scenery in front of her. She tried to squash her disappointment as she bit her lip; instead of presenting the house of her dreams, Sirius had pulled back the proverbial curtain to reveal a deserted campsite just outside of Hogsmeade.

"Ha!" he said as a small chuckle escaped his lips.

"What?" Gemma asked incredulously.

"That crestfallen look on your face … You _really_ think this is the surprise, don't you?"

"I- I -" she stuttered and Sirius cut her off with a chaste peck. She cunningly tried to sneak her tongue into his mouth but he quickly stopped her from deepening the kiss.

"Not yet," he muttered against her lips before taking her hand and leading toward the tent. Gemma rolled her eyes and huffed playfully as she trudged through the snow behind him. When they reached the makeshift shelter, Sirius pulled back one of the flaps and motioned for her to step inside. The Hufflepuff gave him saucy wink before ducking down and entering the tent.

When her eyes finally adjusted to the tinted light, Gemma exhaled a deep breath and felt her eyebrows pop up in surprise. Sirius had used several Transfiguration spells to expand the inside of the tent, making it into an unconventional, but awe-inspiring bungalow. The Sixth Year slowly took a couple steps forward as her eyes surveyed the surroundings walls; they were covered with magical rosebushes that continually dropped red petals onto the floor. She bent down and picked up a couple, crushing them between her fingers, and inhaled sharply to revel in their fresh scent.

"Well, did I do a good job?"

Gemma turned to see Sirius standing in front of the large pile of blankets and pillows. In one swift movement, she playfully tackled him and they both landed in the middle of the soft bedding cocoon he had made for them. The Hufflepuff started to slowly kiss the side of his neck as she answered his question.

"It's – _mwah!_ – amazing Sirius. It – _mwah!_ – took my breath away. You really – _mwah!_ – are a magical genius.

"Ha!" Sirius laughed again. "You really think this is everything, don't you?"

"W-what?" Gemma stuttered as she pulled away from him. "There's more?"

"Of course there's more," the Gryffindor muttered as he rolled his eyes. She timidly looked at him through her bangs, still in disbelief that her Valentine's Day surprise was this elaborate.

"This is the last thing, I promise," Sirius said with a grin as he reached into his pocket, pulled out a small yellow box and placed it in her lap. When she pushed back the tissue paper inside, she gasped as she pulled out a long silver chain. The Seer carefully lifted it out of the box, and in the process, revealed the filigreed lapis lazuli pendant hanging from the bottom.

"The stone is associated with joy and fidelity -"

"I know _that_," Gemma interrupted as she continued to stare at the bright blue object. As it spun around in place, she finally took in its full meaning. Despite all of his audacity and insecurities, Sirius Black really _did_ love her if he was giving her this sort of display of commitment and devotion. A warm, fuzzy feeling exploded from the base of her skull and lazily filtered out to the rest of her nervous system. And for the first time since she had concocted Morrigan's experimental potion, Gemma felt at peace.

Yet, a wisp of sorrow slowly crept up her spine. Sirius' present turned her nomadic soul into something calm and peaceful, like the glassy smooth surface of the Black Lake on a still morning … which meant that when she returned to school for her Seventh Year, she would be a catastrophe and mess without him. She knew Sirius meant every word of his silent lapis lazuli pledge but she couldn't help but dwell on the future and feel even more helpless and fearful than before.

But she took a deep breath, quickly squashed her urge to disappear into thin air and decided to live in the moment. In the here and _now_. She slowly put the long chain around her neck and closed the clasp, letting the pendant settle between her small breasts. Gemma then caught his excited grin and felt a frown start to tug at her lips.

"What, you don't like it?" Sirius panicked. "I charmed it to shimmer when I'm thinking about you."

"No!" she gasped as she put her hands on his chest. "No, I _love_ it! It's just … well, your surprise puts mine to shame, really."

"I'll be the judge of that," the boy said with a smile as he secured his hand on her hip. Gemma rolled her eyes and sluggishly grabbed her leather fringe shoulder bag. She reached her entire arm into the sack and after a few seconds of rummaging, pulled out a hand painted black shoebox. Sirius promptly tore it out of her hands, flipped open the top and uncovered each one of her gifts.

"A bottle of firewhiskey! How did you know I loved this particular vintage? And oh that _smell _-I think this is the finest strain of gillyweed I've ever seen! Merlin Gemma, a motorbike magazine, some dummy wands, and … DOG TOYS!" Sirius' face immediately burst into the biggest grin she had ever seen. "No one has ever given me dog toys before! Not even as a joke, or anything! Look, I know we're supposed to have passionate sex right now, but can you _please_ throw this fluffy Snape for me outside? Pretty please? I'll love you forever if you do."

Gemma saw a puppy-like expression on his face and snorted with amusement. Although she desperately wanted to rip off all his clothes, she couldn't resist the pleading look in his eyes. It was too cute to ignore. She nodded her head in agreement and Sirius immediately pulled her towards the tent door. As soon as the couple went back out into the winter weather, the boy swiftly turned into his animagus and wagged his tail excitedly.

"You really are one of a kind, Sirius Black," Gemma muttered as she tossed the fluffy Snape across the field of snow. The large black dog scampered after it and she sighed happily and watched him retrieve the object. Yet, as he sprinted back to her, the Seer suddenly felt her eyes focus on the view of Hogsmeade behind him. The quaint little houses were calm and serene but as a small green leaf slowly fell off a completely bare tree and landed at her feet, Gemma felt a strong sense of déjà vu.

"What? What's wrong?" Sirius asked after he rapidly changed back into his human form. Gemma looked down at the bright green leaf and then back Hogsmeade as the hairs on her arms stood at full attention. Tears prickled the edges of her eyes and terror burned through her veins and almost made her heart explode.

"I can't explain it … but I have a feeling something really fucking _bad_ is about to happen."

* * *

Aeryn Miller shifted uncomfortably in her plastic coated seat as the witches and wizards around her shouted loudly over the sound of pints being poured. She bristled slightly after a passing gentleman brushed against her to avoid an oncoming server. She knew the pub was busy but thought that the clientele would at least have the decency to say, "I'm sorry!"

"Here you are, dears!" their aging server chirped as he placed their lunch on the table. As the man quickly went back to the kitchen window, Aeryn looked down at her bangers and mash and frowned. Although she appreciated that Peter was picking up the tab, she wished he had chosen something a little more … _romantic_.

"Isn't The Crinkly Boot such a great place?" Peter exclaimed before he heartily dove into his fish and chips. "It's decorated like a real life English pub! And the food! _Yum! _I knew you'd like it … 'cos you know, you're a Muggleborn." He forced several crisps into his mouth and smiled as sauce ran down his chin.

"Yes, it's wonderful dear," Aeryn muttered as she reached out and took a sip of her butterbeer. She desperately wished she could be at Madame Puddifoots, drinking her favorite red velvet cake tea.

"So what did you get me?" he grinned from across the table. Aeryn's mood brightened as she turned and opened her bright pink handbag.

"You're going to love it," she beamed as she handed him a delicately wrapped red, white and pink package. Peter dropped his food and smeared his greasy fingers over the shiny paper as he ripped it open.

"A … oh. What is this exactly?" the Gryffindor frowned as he reached into the tissue paper and pulled out a silver box.

"It's a cigarette holder!" Aeryn answered joyously. "I know I told you stop … but if you're going to continue to smoke, I thought you should at least do it in style. It's custom made – I got your name engraved on it and everything. Open it! Open it!" Peter skeptically wrenched open the holder and cocked his head to the side as he evaluated the object. She watched a small shudder wobble his shoulders.

"I'm trying to quit, Aeryn," he growled as his mood turned sour.

"No you aren't," she replied with a teasing grin as she took another sip of her drink. "You stopped for a month - and I'm very proud of you for that – but now you're at it again. Let face it, Peter. I can nag you all I want, but you're a smoker. That's just what you _are_."

"Smoking is a guilty pleasure I need to stay away from, Aeryn!" Peter snapped, killing her laughter as he pushed the holder back across the table. "Don't you see that? I need to quit _now_, before a habit really starts forming! So - so stop encouraging me with stupid presents like this! I should be staying away from cigarettes, not carrying them around in some overly engraved container." His eyes turned misty and malevolent as his fingers nervously tapped against the wooden table. "I haven't had one in a week, you know!"

Aeryn couldn't help but let her mouth flop open in surprise as tears started to gather in her eyes. She had planned her gift for weeks and even spent most of her bank account to make sure it was perfect … and he just gave it back to her, uninterested in ever using it. As Peter continued to consume his lunch and ignore her completely, Aeryn felt disappointed with her boyfriend for the first time in her life.

She had pulled out all the stops – and what had he done? Taken her to some dingy pub in the middle of nowhere and rejected her gift. The Hogsmeade weekend was _supposed_ to be about him making things up to her, but his final product seriously underwhelmed her.

And that was how her saintly image of Peter Pettigrew finally cracked, much like her impressions of the other Marauders weeks prior. She felt a newfound sentiment bubble inside her and instead of laughing and brushing off his rebuff, she allowed herself to feel hurt and upset by his actions. She sniffled softly as a lone tear escaped one of her eyes.

Yet, even though she started to doubt her boyfriend, she remained silent. Aeryn tried to say something – _anything_ to let him know how disappointed she was - but her mouth glued itself shut. As Peter continued to inhale his food, her eyes nervously flittered across the room … and magically caught the reflection of Cora McKnight in the window. The Ravenclaw happened to be outside, shoving her teammates playfully into a nearby bank of snow.

"Oh look, there's Cora. I have to ask her something about Astronomy. Be right back," Aeryn said steadily as she rose from her seat. Her speech finally caught Peter's attention and he looked up from his lunch and caught her distressed gaze. His eyes registered her emotions and his fork landed on his plate with a _clang!_ when he realized what he had done.

"Oh shit. Oh Aeryn, I'm _so_ sorry, I -"

"I'll just be a minute!" she said with a fake cheery voice as she wiped a tear off her cheek and ignored his apology. Moments earlier, she had been frozen but now she was rapidly mobile after seeing her new friend. She raced out the door and started to slowly blubber as she staggered over towards the members of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. They gradually stopped roughhousing when they realized that she was there to see Cora.

"Hi," Aeryn muttered meekly, only looking at the female Seeker. She registered the look in her eyes and turned back towards her teammates.

"Fuck off, you lot - go drink whiskey and ogle some Fifth Years. Move along, nothing to see here!" Cora barked and then glared at them when they began to snigger. Aeryn felt the Ravenclaw comfortingly put her hands on her shoulders and shortly after, started to sob. Cora wrapped her arms around her completely and hugged her with solace.

"There, there. I'm sure whatever happened isn't the end of the world," she muttered in her ear. Aeryn finally felt a smile spread across her face when they finished their embrace.

"I'm sorry to do that to you," she blubbered as she wiped away more tears with the sleeve of her red jumper. "But I just needed a hug. And I saw you and -"

"There's no need to explain yourself, Aeryn!" Cora laughed. "I know what it's like to need a bone crushing hug!"

"Well, thanks anyways," Aeryn sniffled and she returned her hand to her side. As she blinked away a couple more snuffles, she finally settled down. A genuine giggle escaped her lips and for the first time that day, Aeryn felt loved.

However, seconds later, the sky turned dark and stormy. The Gryffindor watched as her friend's expression turn stern and cautious and she looked over her shoulder at the smoldering sky. The clouds were starting to form some sort of shape, some sort of picture or image …

And as a crack of thunder echoed throughout the area, the Dark Mark officially emerged above Hogsmeade.

Immediately, Aeryn heard screams of terror and felt fear flood her senses. She desperately reached out and grabbed Cora's arm as black tendrils raced through the air and spawned willing Death Eaters. The Seeker swiftly grabbed her hand and pulled them down the street towards the Castle as they tried to escape the oncoming attack.

However, their flight was short lived. When Aeryn and Cora scampered across the cobblestones and rounded a corner, a jet of grey light hit both of them in the chest. As Aeryn fell to the ground, she heard the fierce cackle of Luciana Rosier as she rocketed past them to continue the assault.

* * *

"_Confrigo!_"

"_Stupefy!_"

"_Incarcerous!_"

"JAMES!" Lily Evans screamed as she yanked her boyfriend around the corner to avoid the oncoming rope snares. The spell narrowly missed the couple and launched past them. Before James could move a muscle, Lily's expression hardened with bravery as she pushed him behind her and sneakily extended an arm around the brick wall.

"_Stupefy!_" the Head Girl muttered softly and her spell crept up on the unsuspecting Death Eater and hit him in the shoulder. The servant's body hardened and he stiffly fell to the ground, paralyzed. The two Heads cautiously held their breath as the dust began to settle. A deafening silence skulked into the courtyard, signaling that the coast was clear, and Lily and James collectively peaked their heads out to see the fate of their recent foe.

"Ha!" Lily said with a soft smile as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Take notes for your Auror exam, James Potter - bravado isn't _always_ effective."

"I thought I'd never see the day," James muttered playfully as he ran a hand through his extremely messy and slightly burnt hair. "Are you _really _giving me dueling pointers -"

"_Crucio!_"

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed in surprise as they both dodged the Unforgiveable Curse. "They aren't fighting fair, are they?"

"Over here!" Lily heard someone whisper urgently and she turned to see an old man with silver dreadlocks, motioning for them to come inside the secret door he was standing behind.

"Smithers, thank Merlin!" James exclaimed as he practically carried her into the adjacent building. After the old man swiftly closed the door behind them, Lily put a hand to her chest as she attempted to settle her rapidly beating heart. Her head began to throb and she panted lightly and tried to remain calm in the face of danger. Ben Smithers resumed his post and seconds later, pulled in another innocent bystander.

"Miss Evans, is that you?"

Lily felt someone tug at her left trouser leg and she slowly turned around to look down at Nanette Minot, who was staring up at her with pleading eyes. Lily recognized the fear in her expression and tried to comfort her by putting an arm around her shoulders. The Head Girl felt soothing words form on the tip of her tongue but as she turned her attention to the rest of the room, she realized that Nanette wasn't the only scared student in the room.

Lily felt her maternal instinct kick in as she did a quick headcount. So far, Ben Smithers had rescued 26 other students and turned The Purple Inkpot into a makeshift safe house. Her selflessness began to control her actions and she instantly tended to the scared teenagers, asking if anyone was hurt or impaired. She even placed some of the house kittens in the laps of frightened youngsters to make them feel at ease.

"Potter!" Frank Longbottom called out from across the room and Lily perked up as she saw Alice Cooper cross over to James.

"Thank Merlin you're here. Smithers started pulling people off the street and we know Zito and his parents are doing the same over at Dominic Maestro's music shop," Alice informed them.

"Too bad, really," Frank said with a half smile. "I heard Tarantellegra was in the middle of recording with the attacked started."

"Prongs!" Remus Lupin called desperately after Smithers forcefully pulled him inside. The werewolf staggered over to them and enveloped his best friend in a staunch hug. "Where are the others?"

"We don't know," Lily said softly and hugged Remus when he offered her a comforting embrace as well. "Peter and Aeryn were off at some pub if I remember correctly and Sirius -"

"Already on it," James said with authority as he pulled his two-way mirror out of his corduroy jacket. "Padfoot?"

"I'm alright, Prongs!" Sirius gasped as his face appeared. He kept turning his head back and forth as he threw glances at his wailing girlfriend. "But I don't think Gemma is. She's hysterical, mate."

"Where are you?" Lily said breathlessly as she snatched the mirror out of James' hands.

"We're two blocks from Zonko's," Sirius answered but his attention soon turned elsewhere. "You need to _breathe_, baby -"

"Padfoot!" Remus barked as he grabbed the object out of Lily's grasp. "The Aurors have just arrived but you need to get indoors. _Now_."

"Gemma, you're not making any sense! Fuck, I can't move her. She keeps saying this whole thing is her fault. Someone needs to help me calm her down –"

"Look!" a First Year gasped, grabbing everyone's attention. Lily followed his pointing finger out the window to see a mass of young students standing behind none other than Marianne Minot as she battled a Death Eater with a flurry of offensive spells. The Head Girl remained speechless as she watched the Prefect lunge over debris and attack her assailant. One of her spells finally hit the Death Eater in the chest and she protectively huddled the children behind her as the black figure fell to the ground.

"Over here!" Smithers called across the courtyard and Marianne's face lit up with hope as she rushed the entire group over towards the door. The newcomers poured into the room, adding ten more to the headcount, and the shop owner slammed the door shut when the Ravenclaw finally tripped inside. Lily watched her catch her breath and try to process the situation, just as she herself had done moments earlier.

Yet, when Marianne's gaze finally caught the longing stare of Remus Lupin, Lily saw relief quickly wash over her face, which caused the Gryffindor to smile slightly. Even though Remus had proclaimed that Marianne hated his guts and never wanted to speak to him again, the girl still displayed a large release of anxiety when she realized he was safe and unharmed. Lily quickly glanced at Remus, who couldn't keep his eyes off the Ravenclaw, and noted that he had the exact same expression on his face.

"Marianne, Marianne!" Nanette squealed as she practically tackled her sister. The Seventh Year snapped away from Remus' intent gaze and scooped her up, covering the little girl with kisses as she muttered French words of affection into her ears.

"Where is Gabrielle?" she asked when she finally set her back on the ground.

"I thought she was with you!" Nanette panted as she hid her face behind her hands. "Oh no!"

"Don't worry, I'm going to find her," Marianne whispered and she kissed her head one more time before swiftly racing over to the door. Before Smithers could bar her from leaving, the Prefect shot out into the courtyard and a determined Remus Lupin quickly ran after her.

"Shit," James muttered as he adjusted his glasses nervously. "Alright, I'm going to help Padfoot with Gemma – Frank and Alice, you can stay here or go find more trapped students, up to you – but Lily, you need to go after Remus and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

"I'm on it," she answered unwaveringly. Alice and Frank nodded their heads and slipped out the back door and into the fray.

"I'm sorry this ruined our Valentine's Day," James said delicately as he pushed a strand of red hair behind her ears. "But think of it this way – we're getting real life experience for our NEWT exams. It's like we're studying – something you _love_ to do!"

"Shut up," she growled playfully as she swatted his shoulder.

Yet, just before Lily and James parted ways, they caught the other's concerned glances and immediately rushed into each other arms and kissed passionately. Lily lost herself in his caress and tried to push all of her worries and anxieties about him out of her mind.

"Oooooooh! Lily and James, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-_G_!"

"Come on," she laughed against his lips before throwing the giggling child a stern look. "I'll see you back at the Castle."

"Yes you _will_," James grinned as he gave her one last chaste kiss. The two Heads then slipped out the backdoor and parted ways to accomplish their separate missions.

Lily's heart raced as she carefully tracked her two classmates through the dangerous streets of Hogsmeade. After dodging several Unforgiveables and stunning a Death Eater, the Gryffindor slid across the snow and ran into a wall. She caught her breath and continued down the alleyway when she suddenly heard several spells being cast, followed by a piercing scream.

Without delay, Lily shot out of the dark corridor and rushed to Marianne's side as she dramatically threw herself over Remus' limp body. Lily couldn't help but feel a throbbing ache of sorrow in her chest and the Ravenclaw quickly became frenzied and out of control as she wept with extreme remorse.

"He – he – he jumped in front of it! He sa-saved -"

"Marianne, we need to get him to the Hospital Wing right now," Lily said firmly as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "Remus is going to be _fine_ -"

"You don't know that!" the girl wailed. "I don't know what spell hit him, he could be in a co-coma!"

"Marianne," Lily whispered as she took her hand and blinked back tears, "we must have faith. The universe truly looks out for those who deserve it – so if Remus sacrificed himself, then he will not be harmed … Now come on, let's get him back to the Castle, _just_ in case I'm wrong."

* * *

Hours later, Marianne Minot chewed her left thumbnail for the third time and finally drew blood when she ripped off a large hangnail. She didn't notice the wound, however, and continued to anxiously stare at the sleeping form of Remus Lupin as he recuperated in the Hospital Wing.

"Marianne," Lily muttered softly as she placed a hand on her shoulder, "I'm going to get some dinner from the kitchens, do you want anything?"

"No," the girl said barely above a whisper as she started to chomp on one of her other perfectly shaped nails. "I'm not hungry." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lily throw her a sympathetic look but filtered out the positive moment and instead focused on the day's tragedy. She felt a fresh wave of unhappiness crash over her, overwhelming her already exhausted defense system, and emitted a small sob of heartbreak.

For the next hour, Marianne remained in silence as her mind whirred with worry, concern, apprehension, fear and unease. She went through a full range of emotions within a matter of minutes; she was guilty for causing him harm, but angry that he was stupid enough to get in the way of a spell she could have handled _without_ his help, and then depressed that her thoughts had turned so vicious and two faced.

Finally, her nerves got the best of her and the Ravenclaw felt her eyes slowly close as her body succumbed to her extreme fatigue. A couple minutes later, her old alarm wormed its way into her sleeping brain and Marianne twitched violently and snapped awake to check if anything had changed. When her eyes settled on his rugged face, her lips burst into a grin.

"You're awake," she said breathlessly as she watched his eyes flutter open. "Thank Merlin, you're awake." Without delay, she bolted out of her chair and stood at Remus' side as he started to register where he was. His gaze flittered around the room until she reached out and lightly touched his hand. The Gryffindor froze and slowly panned over to meet her relieved stare.

Marianne had been waiting for this moment for hours, but now that it was here, she felt speechless and thunderstruck. How could she even _begin _to thank him? Her exhaustion kept her from physically answering the question and instead of showering him with verbal gratitude, Marianne sat down on the side of the bed and picked up his hand. She placed his fingers on her cheek, nuzzled his cold skin, and soon, found herself delicately kissing his knuckles.

However, Remus ripped his hand out of her grasp and started to curl into a ball, facing the other direction. Marianne's emptiness swiftly turned into a fury as she disregarded his recent wounds and shoved his shoulder angrily.

"What is it?" she spat.

Her outburst caught his attention and Remus sent a questioning look in her direction.

"What is it about me that repels you so?" she began desperately. "Is it because I'm irritating to study with? Is it because I'm too rich - oh Remus, I can't help that I have money, but it doesn't _matter_ to me – or is it because I'm not pretty enough?"

"No!" he cried out frantically as he turned to face her. "You're beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful, in fact."

"Then what _is _it?" she asked with a mournful moan as she captured his hand again. "What is _wrong_ with me?"

"Nothing," he said as he adverted his eyes away from her. "There's nothing wrong with you." She frowned in confusion as she felt his pulse begin to race. "I'm the damaged one."

And that's when she remembered the most important detail from their last encounter; "Please, Marianne, there's something I have to tell you -"

"Remus?" she asked blindly. Her question hung in the air as she watched his left arm start to twitch with nervousness. His hand remained in her grasp but his fingers jittered under her touch. She glanced back at the boy's face and saw that he had tears of dread forming in his eyes.

"I'm – I'm - "

He choked on his words as he let out a sob of despair.

"… a werewolf."

Marianne couldn't help but let a surprised cry tumble out of her mouth and she felt her heart swell with concern as her hands flew to her chest. She realized what a burden the lycan was carrying, for even though Remus Lupin was the definition of a good-hearted and caring person, every full moon he changed into something he couldn't control. And at last, she understood why he rejected her. His lycanthropy forced him to withdraw from any sort of deep relationship because he feared she would refuse him when she found out the truth.

"You must think I'm a monster," he whispered when she remained silent.

"No!" she exclaimed as she lunged forward and jumped into his white bed, melding her body next to his. Her reaction took the werewolf by surprise and she felt him jerk away from her. She remained by his side, however, and gave him a soft smile as she touched his cheek lovingly. "I think you're the bravest person I've ever met … And I think I've fallen in love with you."

Marianne felt her smile grow as Remus finally responded to her touch and nestled his face in her hand. Tears of happiness – and not of sadness or misery – rolled down his cheeks as he whimpered gently. She wrapped her arms around his shaking frame and for a quiet minute, they cuddled each other comfortingly. After Marianne took a deep breath, she looked over at Remus and felt her mouth gravitate towards his.

However, the boy put his fingers to her lips and shushed her lightly. Her eyebrows knitted in concern as he began to speak.

"The moment you barged over and demanded that I help you find the answer to a puzzling OWL practice question, I fell in love with you. And for two years now, I've stayed in the shadows and watched you from afar … because I know that a girl like you could never be with a bloke like me."

"But -"

"Regardless of how you feel Marianne, you have to understand that we can never be together - you have to learn the same thing I did. What would happen if you introduced me to your parents as your boyfriend?"

"They would accept you," she said matter-of-factly.

"No, they wouldn't."

"You've never met them, how do you know that?"

"Because you're supposed to marry a Lord or a Count," Remus answered desperately as he brushed some of her dark hair out of her face. "They may be tolerant but they would never let their eldest daughter be with a nobody. Especially a _werewolf _nobody."

His lips turned into a sharp frown.

"It's not logical for us to start something together, Marianne. You have to see that."

"But I don't want to be logical!" she countered forcefully and after a couple seconds passed, her tone turned soft and pleading. "I want to be _happy_."

Her sentiment hung in the air as the two Seventh Years stared into each other's eyes, stunned into silence. A sense of bravery finally washed over her and like Remus' self-sacrificing stunt, Marianne let her actions speak louder than her words. She leaned over and gracefully pressed her lips against his, inhaling sharply as their kiss deepened. Although she was inexperienced, the Ravenclaw felt her need and desire outweigh her propriety and she attacked him hungrily. Remus responded just as voraciously and their gentle embrace turned messy, chaotic and frenzied as they desperately clawed at each other.

"… What if we kept it a secret?" Marianne said breathlessly as she pulled away from him. "What if nobody had to know?"

"I have a feeling Lily already does," Remus snorted softly and moved to resume their earlier caresses.

"But you'd be willing to do it," she said sternly. "To take the risk."

"Yes," the werewolf answered intensely and Marianne felt her heart explode with joy. "But only on one condition."

She peered up at him curiously.

"You have to continue to wear whatever perfume you applied to your neck. It smells like … like sandalwood … and vanilla. And it's the most perfect scent I've ever encountered."

"Remus, I didn't put on any perfume this morning," she said with a slight snicker. "Wow, that spell must have really knocked the sense out of you."

"Not _all_ of it," he muttered playfully as he snuck his arms around her waist and crashed his lips down upon hers again.

* * *

**Author's note**: ZOMGREMUSANDMARIANNEREMUSANDMARIANNE!

So yeah, they are _secret_ lovers right now, but go ahead shippers, REJOICE! Was it worth the wait? :D

And if some other subplots are a little vague and confusing, that's ok. Things will be resolved in the next couple chapters ;)

So before I go fangirl in the corner for the next couple of hours, I just want to say how thankful I am for all the views and reviews I've gotten on this story. You don't understand _how much_ they mean to me. Like Aeryn, I am too nice for my own good, so to say thank you to EVERYONE who follows this story, I've decided to make a Tumblr so you can get a behind the scenes look at Wide Awake and learn more about my process and characterizations. The link is on my author page, so go check it out because I made it solely for my WONDERFUL fans!

:D

Carly


	22. Hot Legs

**Disclaimer: **I don't know the _exact_ way you become a Death Eater, but in this story, you have to have the two things before you can receive the Dark Mark: a cunning plan and an apprentice.

* * *

"_Hot legs, you're wearing me out. Hot legs, you can scream and shout. Hot legs, you're still in school. I love you honey!_" – Rod Stewart, 1977

* * *

The next night, Peter Pettigrew frantically paced back and forth as he took an angry puff of his cigarette. When the smoldering tobacco started to burn the filter, he threw it to the ground and immediately reached into his robes to pull out another. He heatedly took a drag of the new cigarette and continued to stew as he occupied an abandoned classroom on the Second Floor.

His inner monologue whirred with panic and worry. Where was Luciana? Why hadn't the bitch kept her bargain? How was Aeryn? Who had cursed her and why was she still confined to her Hospital Bed with some unknown ailment? And why didn't Luciana tell him that Hogsmeade wasn't an isolated attack? Why didn't she mention that two small villages near Rome and Moscow were going to suffer similar fates the same day?

The Gryffindor took another angry drag and then paused a moment to collect his frantic thoughts.

"Hello, Peter."

"It's about time!" he grunted crossly as his shaking hand removed the cigarette from his mouth. "I've been waiting, you know."

"Oh _you _don't like to be kept waiting?" Luciana purred irritably as she quickly slithered across the room to steal his cigarette. She put it in her mouth and subsequently blew smoke in his face. "You skipped your last Sunday summoning. We had a _deal_, Pettigrew."

"And we had a _deal_ that none of my friends would be hurt during the Hogsmeade attack!" Peter challenged with desperation. "You didn't tell me any details but you said that as long as I kept feeding you information, they would be safe! But – but Aeryn, she's still in the Hospital Wing and you promised me she would be untouched!"

"You were supposed to be here seven days ago and you failed to appear. I had to get your attention somehow," she smirked playfully as she took another drag.

"You – you did it?" the boy stuttered in disbelief. "You cursed her?"

"Of course I did," she confirmed haughtily as she exhaled her smoke, "and if you'd been here last week, you would have learned the counter curse to save her!" Peter gulped and felt his insides constrict with guilt.

"Please," he begged softly, "tell me the counter and leave Aeryn out of this. She's – she's innocent!"

"No one is innocent," Luciana spat. "The war has just begun Peter, and it's time to choose a side. Thankfully you've chosen the right one."

"How do I know that? How can I believe a word you say?" he exclaimed as he threw his hands in the air in frustration. "First you leave me in the dark and then you curse my bloody girlfriend! How can I trust you at all?"

"How can I believe anything _you_ say?" the Slytherin taunted as she flicked ash off the end of her cigarette and sat down on one of the empty desks. "You said you were going to be here every Sunday with helpful information and clearly you broke that promise."

Peter felt his chest heave with annoyance and irritation as he inhaled sharply. Something inside him finally snapped and he felt a rage slowly start to fizzle throughout his nervous system. Luciana, however, continued to smoke her cigarette as she stared at him hungrily and waited for his response.

"That's it!" he howled as he threw his cigarette to the ground and stomped it out with one of his scuffed shoes. "I'm done with these secret meetings and I'm done with cigarettes! You and your Death Eater friends can go to hell!"

With a swish of his black Gryffindor cloak, the Marauder turned towards the door and aimed to slam it shut when he exited. However, just before he reached for the handle, he threw a quick look over his shoulder at Luciana; she remained seated and her trademark smirk spread across her face as she exhaled a stream of smoke.

"Go," she said with a flick of her hand, "see what I care. I'm not the one who's going to lose everything." Her statement caused Peter to pause slightly as his face scrunched up with worry.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"If you walk out that door, my life isn't going to be very different. I'm already a marked target, you see," she drawled as she flicked off some ash. "But what's going to happen to you when a rumor about your secret dealings with Dark Magic runs around the castle?"

"You wouldn't," he growled.

"I cursed your girlfriend," she sneered back, "what makes you think I wouldn't destroy your sterling reputation?"

Before he could react, the Slytherin fluidly slipped off the top of the desk and began to walk towards him. Peter's heartbeat quickly petrified when she began to caress the side of his cheek - if Aeryn had done the same, he would have felt comforted, but Luciana's touch was menacing and authoritative.

"This is how it works, Pettigrew," she began with a sigh. "In order to receive the Dark Mark, you have to have two things – an innovative scheme to perpetuate the Mission and a willing protégé to expand our numbers. Now, I _could_ have secured Snape as my apprentice before Lestrange did -"

"Lestrange is a Death Eater," Peter confirmed with astonishment. "Snape too."

"Yes, Snape too," she laughed. "Who do you think created the unknown curse that stunned your girlfriend and best friend? Well, Avery cocked up the incantation, so Lupin didn't suffer the full intended amount … but really, this shouldn't be that fucking surprising."

"Snape invented a curse that only Death Eaters would be able to counter … and Lestrange's evil scheme was attacking Hogsmeade, Rome and Moscow," he said with a slightly dazed expression as he tried to take everything in.

"No, no, Rabastan only proposed to assault Hogsmeade," Luciana leered, "and several other members piggy backed off his idea as it grew. You do realize this is an internationalmovement, right? The Dark Lord's ties don't stop at England's borders. He has eager members _everywhere_."

She paused for a moment for let smoke raise out of her mouth and into her nose, showcasing a perfect French inhale, and then blew it to the side.

"Now where was I? Oh right, apprentices. So I _could_ have chosen Severus … but then, I saw you in our first Defense class of the year. I watched you launch that curse at Davies - even though you tried to show the rest of the world that you were ashamed and remorseful, I saw right through you. You _liked_ it." Her smirk grew astronomically. "You took pride in catching him off guard and hitting him straight in the chest. You wanted to watch him writhe with pain because his cries of agony were something _you_ controlled."

As he remembered the particular incident, Peter's face contorted painfully with awareness of his wrongdoing … but as he recalled how good it felt to have the Dark Magic coursing through his veins, his face softened. He relived the _power_ it gave him over others and as the color slowly returned to his face, his expression hardened to stone.

"That day, I decided to pursue you," Luciana grinned, "because I knew you had the passion and immorality needed for the job. You were a fantastic challenge too - it's not every day you turn a Marauder towards the Dark Arts. My mentor was very pleased!"

"Your mentor?" Peter questioned. "Who?"

"Ah, ah, ah," she tutted as she waved her finger back and forth. "You haven't earned that information yet."

"And when will I?"

"When you're _worthy_ enough. I can't let you know the entire Hogwarts chain of command when you're still in training."

"Fine. So you've got your protégé then," Peter growled as his hands balled up at his sides. "What was your creative plot to prove your value?"

"It's still in the planning stages, dear," the Slytherin said with a sickening sweetness as she patted his cheek with her non-smoking hand, and in the process, revealed her blank forearm. Peter felt an imaginary icy hand crawl up his leg when he realized that the girl he pledged his loyalty to wasn't even a fully dedicated servant.

"You – you don't have a tattoo," the Gryffindor gasped. "You aren't a Death Eater yet!"

"I _will _be," Luciana snarled as she roughly pushed him against the door, "when my strategy is solidified." Peter gasped for air as her hold on him tightened and realized that he had hit a very sore spot. "And until then, you're going to help me and report every Sunday with any useful information … and if you fail to show up one more time, I will fucking_ ruin_ you."

She heaved a couple of large breaths before finally calming down and reclaiming her earlier smirk. She quickly released her hold on him and Peter felt his body scrape against the wooden door as he fell to the floor.

"But I don't think it will come to that," she purred as she threw on her large black Slytherin cloak. "You can run, but you'll come back. You'll _always _come back."

"You're a psychopath," he spat.

"Takes one to know one," she grinned as she threw her cigarette to the ground and smothered it with her luxurious satin shoe. "Now go back to your little girlfriend and be a dutiful Marauder. She'll be cured soon, don't you worry. But next time, I want information – something I can _use,_ for Merlin's sake!" Before Peter could get up off the ground, she slithered past him and shoved him to the side as she opened the door and exited the classroom. The boy sighed with anguish as he collected himself and stood up.

"_Bitch_," he muttered.

Peter took another deep breath and brushed some dust off of his Gryffindor sweater before following Luciana's lead. The weekend's events finally shocked his system and his mind turned to mush as his feet took control and propelled him towards the Hospital Wing. When he entered the Infirmary, Peter brushed by several people but did not feel their touch; he heard the worried chatter of other students but tuned them out. He finally collapsed into a small visitor's chair next to his girlfriend's sickbed and rubbed his tired eyes as he adjusted to the bright light.

After a deep breath, Peter put a hand to his brow as he felt tears start to prickle the sides of his eyes. At first, he thought they were just due to his lack of sleep but as he continued to stare at Aeryn's sleeping form, he realized they were trigged by an intense nervousness in the pit of his stomach. And for the first time since the Winter Ball, Aeryn Miller became his priority and he felt a large sense of guilt wash over him.

How could he have been this stupid? Aeryn didn't deserve to be cursed … and yet, here she was in the Hospital Wing, all because he had an obsession with Dark Magic and a certain Slytherin temptress. As his mind wandered towards a state of total unease, he began to frown sharply.

When his guilt slowly started to fade, a doubtful glower replaced his earlier tears. He practically snarled as the image of Luciana's bare forearm flashed across his line of sight. His stupidity had led him to betray his girlfriend, but it also forced him to choose a risky sponsor. He should have found out more before signing his reputation away! He should have someone more reliable – someone who already had the Mark! Someone who knew what they were doing!

But as he let out several heaved breaths, Peter knew that even if the offer presented itself, he wouldn't have chosen anyone other than Luciana. The Slytherin was only 18 years old but wielded a commanding presence that was way beyond her years. She demanded respect and played the perfect dominatrix. And she was right – he would always come crawling back, no matter how hard he tried to resist her.

"Mr. Pettigrew," a female voice said softly as she shook him out of his daze. Peter blinked several times and looked up from his seat to see his Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor put a hand on his shoulder.

"Professor Artro," he acknowledged.

"I have some good news," she smiled. "I know the counter curse."

"Oh thank Merlin," the Gryffindor sighed with relief.

"It's going to take awhile to fully flush the Dark Magic out of her system," the Professor explained, "so I suggest you get something to eat in the Great Hall and then immediately go to bed."

"But it's only 2 -" Peter started as he looked down at his wristwatch.

"It's 8 o'clock in the morning, Mr. Pettigrew," she said with a soft laugh as she took out a sheet of parchment and a quill. "You've been up all night. Now go eat and sleep - Professor's orders!"

"But my classes -"

"I'll vouch for your absence," the Defense Professor reassured as she handed him a signed note. "Now _go_. Miss Miller is going to be fine."

Peter let out a huge sigh and nodded his head after getting up from his chair. He took one last glance at his girlfriend and then slowly trotted down to the Great Hall as his stomach started to grumble. When he walked through the large wooden doors, he immediately saw James and Sirius waving for him to come join them for breakfast at the Gryffindor table.

"Wormtail!"

"How is she, mate?"

"She's sleeping," he answered sheepishly as he began to help himself to the freshly cooked food. "Professor Artro said she knew the counter curse."

His response caused him to pause dramatically before taking a sip from his goblet. If Snape had invented the spell that only Death Eaters knew how to counter … could that mean Sabine Artro had a sinister connection to the Dark Lord and his followers?

"That's brilliant!" Sirius beamed but then turned his attention elsewhere. "Isn't that wonderful news, Gemma?"

The blonde lifted her head from the table and pushed back her ratty and practically dreadlocked hair from her face and revealed the dark circles under her puffy eyes. The Seer looked exhausted and emotionally fried. Her hand twitched several times as she reached out for her pumpkin juice and took the smallest sip possible; her plate was unused and empty.

"Yes, dear," she answered meekly as she put a hand to her temple and stared aimlessly at the table in front of her. Peter watched Sirius' lips form a concerned frown but he remained silent and periodically threw worried glances at her.

"So she'll be ok?" Lily asked softly from across the table as she leaned towards James' side.

"I think so," Peter said with a small smile. He let his attention fall back to his food and shoveled some scrambled eggs and bacon into his mouth. When he started to refill his goblet with fresh squeezed orange juice, he spied Remus walk into the Great Hall and almost let his breakfast fly out his mouth when he remembered one of Luciana's other details … but even though Remus had also been hit with a watered down version of Snape's signature curse, he showed no sign of tiredness or fatigue. In fact, he wore a huge smile on his face as he adjusted his tie and joined them at the table.

"What's got you grinning, mate," James taunted when he also noticed Remus' euphoric demeanor. "You haven't stopped since you woke up yesterday."

"Nothing," the werewolf deflected as he poured himself a glass of water.

"Merlin's beard," Sirius said breathlessly. "It's finally happened."

"What?" Peter asked as his face scrunched up with confusion. "What's happened?"

"Moony's getting some!" the dark haired boy exclaimed.

"I am not," Remus growled.

"Wrinkled uniform, hair askew, the same bloody grin that Prongs had on his face after he kissed Evans for the first time … Yeah, I'd say you're shagging someone."

"I'm not shagging anybody!" the former Prefect stated forcefully but his expression turned timid and shy as he looked down at his lap. "I'm just … snogging someone repeatedly."

"Who?" James said with an excited giggle and Lily rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's girlish antics.

"I can't tell you," Remus explained as he anxiously pushed back some of his sandy hair. "You're not even supposed to know I'm seeing someone." As a silence settled over them, Peter saw the guilty gleam in his friend's eyes and recognized the agonizing look of someone holding an unknown burden – he sometimes saw it in his own face when he offhandedly caught his reflection in mirror.

"It's Marianne, isn't it?" he said in a low tone. Gemma's head snapped off the table at the mention of the French Ravenclaw's name and her bloodshot eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"Merlin's left testicle!" James gleefully cried out. "It _is_ her! Oh Moony, you handsome devil you -"

"Shhhh, you idiot!" Remus said frantically as he reached out and put a hand over his mouth. "Stop making a scene!" After the Head Boy licked in the inside of his palm in retaliation, he yelped and then wiped his hand on his black uniform pants.

"Sorry," James apologized with a slight grin.

"It's fine Prongs," Remus said with a frustrated sigh. "But I was being serious. You can't tell _anyone_ about this. If her father finds out she's seeing a penniless Gryffindor, he'll punish her and come after me with all the resources he's got. He'll find out about my condition and have me expelled with hesitation." He gulped as he moved to loosen his tie and Peter felt his arm hairs slowly start to raise in attention.

"Your secret is safe with us," Sirius reassured. "But how long has this been going on for?"

"A day," Remus answered with a small grin as he ran a hand through his hair again. "I thought I'd _at least_ have a week of privacy before you lot read me like an open book."

"Where," Gemma frenetically demanded as she cut through the conversation. She earned stark stares from the rest of the group. "Where did it happen."

"In the Hospital Wing," the werewolf answered cautiously. The Seer's eyes widened even more as the color started to drain from her face.

"In a white bed," she said in a very dazed voice.

"That's the only kind they have there, dear," Sirius said as he raised a concerned brow.

"What did she smell like," Gemma asked urgently as she reached her dirty hands across the table towards Remus.

"Gemma, what's wrong with you?" Sirius pleaded as he tried to wrap his arms around her waist. She disregarded his sign of affection and instead concentrated on Remus' very confused face.

"Was it sandalwood?" the Hufflepuff gasped. "With a touch of vanilla?"

"How do you know that," the boy whispered in complete shock. "How can you _possibly_ know that?"

"Oh shit," she cursed as her hands flew to her face. "Oh fuck, oh shit -"

"Gemma, what's wrong?" Lily questioned from across the table.

"My dreams," she whispered softly with fear written all over her face, "they're all coming true." Immediately, Peter saw her pull the biggest joint he'd ever seen in his life out from behind her ear and before anyone could stop her, anxiously ran out of the Great Hall to go smoke it and calm down. Sirius quickly jumped up from his seat and followed her apprehensively.

"What just happened?" James asked no one in particular.

"I have no idea," Remus said breathlessly.

"Well I'm happy for you," Lily finally added after a couple seconds of silence. "I always knew you two would end up together, it really was just a matter of when. But you're right, you need to keep this a secret … for both your sakes."

As Remus smiled in agreement and went back to eating his breakfast, Peter felt the same icy hand creep back up his leg. Part of him knew that his best friend's new romance was the perfect piece of information to give Luciana, but as he watched Remus' smile grow, he couldn't bring himself to spill the secret. After years of wallowing in his own self-pity, the Marauder was finally happy and Peter knew he didn't deserve to have the feeling taken away from him. He'd have to find some other information to satisfy her.

Besides, how could he trust Luciana with the information anyways? She wasn't even a Death Eater yet, she was practically an apprentice herself!

"You're making a funny face, Pete," James noted as he stuffed a sausage into his mouth. "Don't tell me you have a secret too!"

"No!" he cried out as his nerves began to buzz with anxiety of being found out. "I'm not hiding anything. I'm – I'm just -"

"I was only teasing Wormtail," James answered with a chuckle. "I know you wouldn't keep anything from us!"

If you only knew how wrong you were, Peter thought dreadfully.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Secrets, secrets!

So this chapter was really hard to write because I didn't want to give everything away (just so you know, the Hogwarts "chain of command" should still be pretty murky) but at this point, Peter isn't completely evil yet and won't give up his friends. But as you know, that changes XD

Please let me know in a review if there's anything you think is unclear! I'll try and answer your question as best I can – don't want to spoil anything!

And thank you to everyone who started to follow the blog. I'm having a lot of fun with it!


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